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Dog Rescued From Icy Waters In Wisconsin

Written by: Molly Weinfurter
Molly Weinfurter is a writer for iHeartDogs, and she’s passionate about helping animals in need. She volunteers for Bailing Out Benji and a local dog rescue.Read more
| Published on January 6, 2020

Any loyal dog parent will do whatever they can to keep their pup safe. Oftentimes, they’ll even put themselves in danger to do it. So, a Wisconsin family was horrified when their beloved dog, Daisy, fell through the ice of a frozen river. Their first instinct was to chase after her and pull her to safety, but then they thought twice. They ended up calling the Wausau Fire Department for help, and they responded immediately. 

In a clip from the rescue, Daisy is in the middle of the river. She clung onto the ice for dear life, but her body was partially in the water. She slipped from the ice for a moment, but luckily, help was on the way.

Image: Screenshot, waow.com

The fire department sprang into action just like they would if a human was on the ice. They knew that most dog parents would put themselves in danger to save their pup. So, by hurrying to the scene, they weren’t only saving Daisy, but they were also protecting all the dog lovers involved.

“By all means, if you call us because there is a dog on the ice we are going to treat it as a human rescue because we don’t want it to turn into a human rescue,” said Chief John Lauer.

For a human rescue, officials usually throw a rope to the person. However, with a dog, it’s less likely that they will grab onto that safety rope. So, the crew had to make their way out onto the ice to rescue Daisy.

Image: Screenshot, waow.com

Four fire officials worked together to get Daisy out of the water. They used a rope to make sure that no one got stuck in the ice. In the end, Daisy made it safely to the shore. She was scared and shivering, but at least she was safe.

“From the shoreline, if we throw a rope to a person and they can grab it, that’s the best way to do it,” said Lauer. “In most cases, dogs won’t listen to us, so we will have to go get them if that is what’s needed.”

After this rescue, Lauer explained that it’s important to always keep your dog on a leash, especially while walking near bodies of water. While many dog parents might want to jump into cold water to rescue their dog, it’s best for them to call professionals in an emergency like this. After all, dogs are important family members, so they should be treated with the same respect as everyone else.

Related: Compare pet insurance in Wisconsin

Image: Screenshot, waow.com

Hypothermia is also just as common for dogs as it is for people. Dogs and humans can experience hypothermia in cold water after only 5 minutes. So, if your dog is in danger, please call for help right away. The sooner your dog is rescued, the better off they’ll be.

H/T: waow.com
Featured Image: Screenshot, waow.com

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