Thursday afternoon was quite a normal day for one dog walker in Vienna. But in a surprising twist of fate she and her dog ended up rescuing an abandoned, 2-hour old baby near the river in Hietzing on 24 April.

Dog owner Sabine S was walking her dog and was on her way to a lift by the waterfront. But seeing the lift full up, she opted to take the route down the ramp, something she doesn’t normally do. As if by fate, this choice led her to a bush near the river, which attracted her pet dog.

Curious as to what made her dog so interested in the bush, Sabine looked underneath and was shocked to find a baby boy snug and sleeping in a pink carry cot.

There were no notes left on the cot, so Sabine took the baby and alerted cops and paramedics. Medical staff noted that the baby’s umbilical cord had been cut clean. Professor Thomas Frischer of the primary children’s department ensured that the baby is healthy and safe.

In Vienna, mothers can drop their unwanted babies in baby hatches safely and anonymously. Authorities handling the case are unsure why the baby boy wasn’t dropped in the nearby hatch in Wilhelminenspital. Abandoning children in public is illegal and parents can be prosecuted when caught.