If Fonzi could talk, he'd have an amazing story to tell. The small dog was rescued on Saturday after spending four days stranded on ice along the icy Detroit River.

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The pooch was rescued by a Good Samaritan -- who wishes to remain anonymous -- who used an airboat to bring him to shore. The dog was given the Alfonso, or 'Fonzi' for short after he arrived at the Woodhaven Animal Hospital.

He was suffering from frostbite, malnutrition, and severe pancreatitis and reportedly had blocks of ice frozen in his fur. Authorities say the dog's thick, unkempt coat actually help keep him warm and save his live during ordeal.

Dr. Lucretia Greear, the owner of the Woodhaven Animal Hospital, says the fact that he survived is miraculous and says he probably would not have survived had he been properly cared for.

“He’s a miracle,” Greear said. “He definitely would have died out there. That saved him -- it literally insulated him.”

Patricia Trevino with the River Rouge Animal Shelter says the dog's rescue after being stranded on floating river ice along the Detroit suburb of Ecorse is “an amazing story of survival."

Trevino adds that the dog was also chased by a coyote who chased him farther into the Detroit River.

In the video below, Greear says the dog is slowly recovering.

At this time, no one is aware of the dog's history or how he became stranded on the icy Detroit River.

 

SEE MORE: Animals That Are on Michigan's Endangered Species List

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