Flagstaff Emergency  Services and the Strome Fire Department recently performed an ice rescue on a family pet.

Emergency Services received a 911 call from the pet owner, who found his dog in his dugout. The dog was unable to get back onto the ice surface and was trapped in the freezing water.

Flagstaff Regional Emergency Services Co-ordinator Kim Cannady says, “The owner tried to get the dog out himself but the ice was too thin, and the ice started cracking, so he called 911 immediately.”

Cannady says with the help of the Strome firefighters and some equipment, rescuers were able to reach the dog and pull it out of the ice to shore.

He says the dog had been in the water for so long it was too weak to even stand up after they got it out.

The rescue had a happy ending, however. Cannady says, “I spoke with the owner since and he is happy to say “Boomer” recovered well and is running around happily again.”

Cannady says the owner did the right thing in calling 911.

“This time of the year when ice is still forming, the thickness is deceiving.

“When pets fall through the ice, this becomes a dangerous situation for people if they try to rescue the animal themselves, possibly falling through the ice and themselves becoming a victim.

“People in icy water can survive only minutes before succumbing to the cold, becoming hypothermic, and passing away quickly.”

Cannady adds, “We were lucky the dog was close enough to shore that we able to reach this dog when we did.

Only Hardisty Fire Department has the proper equipment and training for an ice/ water rescue.”

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Leslie Cholowsky
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