A couple New Brunswick residents are praising the local fire department after their dogs were rescued from the frozen Oromocto River.
The Oromocto Fire Department was able to make the rescue last Thursday, after one dog became trapped on the ice and another had fallen through.
Owner Kathy Nixon said she’s incredible to have her dog, Skye, back home.
“(It’s a) total relief to have them home safe and sound with us. And neither one of them suffered any really ill effects,” she said.
Nixon and her friend walk their dogs by the river almost daily — usually without incident. But during last Thursday’s walk, something across the water caught their attention.
“(We were) doing our walk. Everything was great. And the dogs got the scent of something on the other side of the river, so they both took off out onto the ice,” said Nixon.
As the pair of Labrador Retrievers tried to make their way back across the ice, Abby — Nixon’s friend’s dog — fell through. Skye stayed put and waited for rescue.
Realizing they couldn’t get the dogs out themselves, they called the fire department, which showed up in mere minutes.
“The minute she went through, we realized we couldn’t get her out. She was maybe 50 feet offshore, so there was no way we could get to her,” said Nixon.
Photos shared by the Oromocto Fire Department show their efforts using an inflatable raft to reach the dogs and bring them to shore.
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“We would like to remind everyone that due to the fluctuating weather conditions so far this winter, ice conditions in the area are not safe,” the department wrote on its post.
Nixon said they are “eternally grateful” to the firefighters for their swift response and kindness.
“They came without hesitation and were ready to go the minute they arrived,” she said.
“They almost put their lives on the line.”
Nixon said Abby and Skye will be kept on leashes during their morning walks for a while now, just to be safe.
— with a file from Global News’ Rebecca Lau
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