Two ‘Mischievous Dogs’ Rescued After Falling Through Ice
Two mischievous dogs recently had a close call after they fell through the ice at Utah Park in Aurora, Colorado, but were luckily rescued by the Aurora Fire Rescue (AFR) team.
KDVR reports that the incident happened on Wednesday, December 11 when a bystander called 911 at around 8 a.m. to report two small dogs who had fallen through the ice. The dogs were said to have landed approximately 10 to 15 feet from the shore.
Aurora Fire Department shared the information on Instagram, reporting that a rescue crew comprising of Aurora Fire Rescue units who are “now equipped and trained to perform ice rescues when a person or animal falls into the water or through the ice” along with the Technical Rescue Team and additional responders, jumped into action following the call.
“AFR’s Engine 4 was first on-scene to perform the ice rescue, assisted by AFR’s Technical Rescue Team and multiple other AFR responders,” the Aurora Fire Rescue shared.
AFR continued explaining that both dogs managed to pull themselves out of the frigid water before the rescue crews could reach them. However, one of the dogs, managed to run away and couldn’t be located.
The other dog received immediate care from the crew to restore its core body temperature. Once stabilized, the dog was turned over to Animal Control to help locate its owner and facilitate a reunion.
Unfortunately, the first dog, which had initially escaped the icy pond, has not been located. Search efforts are ongoing to find the missing pup.
The Aurora Fire Department is warning people about the dangers of thin ice, especially as temperatures drop and winter approaches. They are reminding people to use caution near ice and bodies of water, as the average person can only survive in cold water for 15-45 minutes.
The agency offered several safety tips for those planning to be near bodies of water during the winter months writing:
- Be aware of ice and weather conditions. Looks can be deceiving
- The buddy system is the best. Let someone know your plan a d where you are going
- If someone in need of rescue, call 911 for help. Attempting a rescue could cause you to also fall through the ice.
- Keep pets on a leash at all times. Never allow your pet to run out onto the ice and do not walk your pet near a frozen lake or pond without leash. If your dog falls through the ice, do not attempt a rescue. Call for help
- Remember: Reach-Throw-Go. If someone falls through the ice and you cant reach the person from shore, throw a flotation device or rope. If you still cant quickly help the person, go or call for help
Contrary to popular belief, not all dogs are natural swimmers. Even those that can swim may struggle to get out of a body of water, leading to potential drowning.
Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation suggests that some pets with certain medical conditions such as seizures, dementia, arthritis, irregular heart rhythm and blindness are at an even higher risk of water-related accidents. They continued urging pet owners to never leave pets with these conditions unattended near any body of water.
Even if a pet is rescued from a near-drowning incident, it may still experience after-effects such as coughing, difficulty breathing, weakness, fluid discharge from the mouth or nose, and distress or anxiety. These symptoms can range from mild to severe, with severe cases potentially leading to pneumonia and death due to respiratory distress and oxygen deprivation.
Pet owners are therefore advised to immediately take a pet that has experienced near-drowning incident to the nearest veterinary clinic for evaluation.
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