Sydney Harbour dog rescuer Shannon Clark answers the question all Aussies want to know about her brave act at Finger Wharf, Woolloomooloo

The brave woman who jumped into Sydney Harbour to rescue a struggling dog said she wasn’t thinking about sharks as her ‘instinct’ took over.

Shannon Clark from Woolloomooloo, who works as the office manager for popular Finger Wharf restaurant China Doll, said she leapt into action after hearing a commotion just before midday on Monday.

‘People were saying “There’s a dog in the water! Dog in the water!”,’ Ms Clark told Daily Mail Australia.

After going to have a look at what was happening outside, Ms Clark noticed the owner on the other side of the wharf calling the dog. 

Despite the owner’s calls, however, the dog continued to struggle in the water and appeared to be close to drowning. 

‘I thought, “the dog is so small”… I think it was a King Charles spaniel but it was like a puppy – brand new,’ she said.

‘It would have been like two or three kilos – adorable.

‘And I’m kind of looking at the situation thinking, “she’s (the owner) not doing anything. Nothing’s happening”.’ 

Ms Clark took her shoes and pants off and ‘jumped in’ when she saw no-one else was going to do anything to help save the dog

It was then that Ms Clark decided to leap in and rescue the dog. 

‘Everyone was just staring at this poor dog going around in circles not knowing what is going on and so I was just like, well, if no-one is going in I am going to.  

‘I quickly ran over, took off my shoes, took off my pants and jumped in,’ she said.

By that stage there was quite a big crowd but Ms Clark wasn’t daunted.

‘I was like, “I’m an alright swimmer, surely I can do this”,’ she said.

‘I’m a dog owner as well so all I could think was if that was my puppy, oh my God, I would have been there straight after it fell in.’

Ms Clark, who is also a professional dancer, attributed her skills to her swimming lessons when she was young.

The quick-thinking rescuer said instinct took over when it came to holding the dog in the water to prevent it from drowning.

‘I guess it was just sort of an instinct. Obviously I wanted to protect the puppy and get it as safe as I could and that was the best position I felt,’ she said.

‘Luckily the doggy was small enough I could balance it on my shoulder.’

Given the rescue occurred less than 2km from where ex-Navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder lost his right hand and leg in a shark attack in 2009, Ms Clark is fielding constant questions about whether she was worried about being mauled.

‘No. I didn’t even think about sharks,’ she said. 

‘I was probably more worried about the dog than for myself. 

‘Now people have said it, I’m like “oh yeah, I guess so”, but in the moment I was just like: “Dog. I need to help”.

The dog lover didn’t think about sharks and was purely focused on rescuing the struggling pooch from the water (pictured, Ms Clark with her dog Chilli)

 The brave swimmer returned to work and continued her day as though nothing had happened

‘I wish I was that responsible (to look out for sharks). But if something’s meant to happen, it’s meant to happen. That’s life I guess.’

The accidental hero said her colleagues and workers from another restaurant rushed to cover her with tablecloths as she emerged from the water.

‘I wish I had chosen underwear with more material that day… so it was very nice of everyone to protect my modesty,’ she laughed. 

Ms Clark’s colleague wrapped up the dog to get it dry, before the owner came over and offered to buy the office manager a thank-you present for saving her cherished pet.

It was then that Ms Clark noticed a lot of men standing around and was shocked no-one had helped.

‘I’m looking around at the boys and I’m like “c’mon guys” –  surely someone should have beaten me to it, but no-one did,’ she said.

Astonishingly, the brave swimmer returned to work and continued her day as though nothing had happened.

‘I still had my jeans, they were dry and I had a dry jumper at least (in the office) but I had to lose the underwear and the top and just continued my day like normal.’