Sikh Man Removes His Turban To Save Dog Drowning In Canal

This man is a picture of compassion.

Sarwan Singh, a Sikh man, took his turban off and used it to help save a drowning dog in Punjab, India.

The 28-year-old's selfless act, which was captured on camera, recently made headlines across the internet.

"What was important at that point was to save the animal's life," the man explained of his actions in a press release.

The Sikh Coalition explains that the turban, or dastaar, is an articles of faith in Sikhism. Turbans are tied each day and show commitment to the religion's founders. They also symbolize equality. It is typically only removed in the privacy of one's house and is considered part of a Sikh's body once worn.

Singh, who was in his car when he saw a group of men pointing toward a canal, said that when he realized what was going on, he felt he needed to make the animal's safety his priority.

"I stopped my car and went over to check what was happening," he said in the statement. "I was shocked to see that there was a dog drowning but no was actually helping."

When he took off his turban, others reacted with surprise.

"The moment I started taking off my turban, people watching around were shocked. They thought I was disrespecting my faith," he recalled in the release.

But the man continued his efforts to save the dog. With the help of bystanders, Singh climbed down the side of the canal bank. He then used his turban to scoop up the dog and guide it to land.

It was no easy feat, however.

"The dog wasn't comfortable. He was not coming to me at all," the 28-year-old said in the release. "We had to follow him for around 200 meters before I was able to wrap my turban around his neck and pull him to safety."

Singh ended up feeding the animal biscuits before letting it go.

If you end up finding a stray pet, the Humane Society of the United States recommends using caution when approaching the animal. If possible, you can attempt to safely restrain and catch the animal before taking it to the nearest shelter. If you're unable to do so, call your local animal control agency for backup.