For some dogs, the first day in a new place can be frightening. If a dog feels anxious on the day of adoption, they are more prone to fleeing. Lucy, a Labradoodle, had just moved into her new apartment about 2 months ago, but she was overwhelmed. As a result, she fled and found herself in a risky predicament.
Lucy ended up in the Detroit River on a drifting ice block. She froze in place, too terrified to find a way out. She would have p.e.rished if no one had noticed her and been ready to help her. But, thankfully, assistance was on the way!
One of her neighbors noticed her trapped on the ice chunks and contacted 911 right away. Lucy’s life was saved thanks to their quick reaction. When the 80-pound dog was discovered, she was about 40 to 50 feet from the coast.
“That dog would have frozen or drowned if it hadn’t been for that,” Wyandotte Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton said of the 911 call.
Because of the dog’s location in the sea, officials contemplated contacting the US Coast Guard. When Wyandotte firemen came on the scene, however, they had their own ideas about how to save Lucy.
Derrek Azzopardi, a fireman, descended a rope attached to the pier by rescuers. He sat in an insulating suit on the ladder, his lower half submerged in the water. Azzopardi was barely a few steps away from the trapped dog. The dog lay flat on the ice cube, refusing to budge. Lucy was rescued after a total of 30 minutes.
So Azzopardi lassoed the dog with a catchpole and gently pulled her to shore. Lucy was hesitant to touch the icy water at first, but once Azzopardi had her in his arms, she calmed enough for him to gently bring her to safety.
“It turned out really well,” Wyandotte Assistant Fire Chief Tom Lyon remarked. “She simply had those huge brown eyes and couldn’t speak, but she was likely just overwhelmed with gratitude.”
The firemen are grateful that the neighbors sought assistance rather than trying the rescue themselves. They may have placed themselves at risk if they had. Every year, Wyandotte firemen respond to one or two dog ice rescues. Because firemen understand that dogs are family members, they are always quick to rescue the day in dangerous circumstances like these.
Here’s a link to the heroic rescue:
