Lethbridge police are sharing the story of an officer who braved frigidly cold waters to rescue two people and their dogs.
The incident started at around noon on Wednesday when police received a call about four dogs attacking a deer at the off-leash dog run at Peenaquim Park.
Police said although the dog owners had attempted to restrain their pets, the animals had swarmed an injured deer after discovering it in the Oldman River.
Both owners went into the river in an attempt to get control of their dogs; one owner was able to grab the canines, but the other began to get swept away by the strong current.
Police said the events unfolded so quickly that the officer on scene didn’t have time to call the Lethbridge Fire Department to request help from their aquatic rescue team.
Instead, Const. Denton Michelson jumped into action, helping one of the dog owners get to shore and then entering the river to help the other.
Police said both dog owners and their canines were cold and wet but uninjured.
As for Michelson, police said the 15-year member of the Lethbridge Police Service was also uninjured.
In a Thursday news release, police said things could have ended “considerably worse.”
“Although the owners did their best to control their animals, police do advise dog owners to exercise caution when wildlife may be nearby. Police also warn against entering freezing waters.”
Police said no charges will be laid.
It’s unknown if the injured deer survived the incident.
Comments