This is the heroic moment a police deputy jumped into a canal to save a dog before reuniting the pet with its grateful owner.

Footage shows the deputy going into the water in a canoe while his colleague jokes that there could be an alligator in the water in Flagler County, Florida, on October 26.

The video reveals him paddling over to the pooch, which initially swims away from him. He then exits the canoe and carries the dog back onto dry land in his arms.

Afterward, he returns to the water to retrieve his canoe.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office in the US state of Florida said: 'Deputies responded to a report of a dog in distress in the canal in the W-Section of Palm Coast.

'There, they encountered a citizen in a kayak who was trying to rescue the dog.

'After she was unsuccessful, Deputy Alex Wolfe used the kayak to get to the dog, then jumped off and pulled the dog to shore.

'The dog was turned over to Animal Control and later reunited with its owner.'