Firefighters rescue dog from icy Ottawa River

An Ottawa firefighter swam into the frigid, slushy waters of the Ottawa River Monday morning to rescue a dog that ended up 30 feet offshore of Lemieux Island.

The dog, a two-year-old Vizsla named Ruby, is being cared for at a veterinary clinic and “is going to be ok,” according to Ottawa Fire Services.

Firefighters were called to Lemieux Island, a popular dog-walking spot on the river west of Parliament Hill, at 9:48 a.m., according to Ottawa fire spokesperson Jen McNeely.

Because the ice has thawed and broken up in that area, a member of the department’s water rescue team tethered themselves to another firefighter who stayed on shore, and then swam out to retrieve the dog, McNeely said.

“They were able to grab the dog, swim back and one of our members brought the dog and the owner to a vet,” she said.

Everyone was out of the water shortly after 10 a.m., according to McNeely. The owner was there with a second dog and was “upset” about the situation, according to the fire service.

The fire department isn’t sure how the dog ended up in the water but the animal was “very tired and cold,” she said.

In an update posted on Twitter, the fire department said the dog’s “core temperature was low after being in the icy water but she is being warmed in veterinary care.”

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