Sheepdog Pulled to Safety in Massachusetts
Quote: The Salem News
Online Edition Tuesday, March 02, 2004 Firefighters rescue sheepdog from icy water By Jill Harmacinski Staff WENHAM -- Tissy King is happy to have a cell phone. Yesterday, her dog, Saldo, was lucky that she had one, too. "If I didn't have a cell phone my dog would be dead," King said last night. King had taken Saldo, her 7-year-old sheepdog, out for a walk yesterday morning when suddenly and without warming, the 85-pound dog plunged through ice that had built up in a small canal connecting the Ipswich River and Wenham Lake. Saldo wasn't on a leash and King didn't know how she was going to get him out of the water. "So I called the police," she said. In minutes, a group of town firefighters arrived. Swapping turnout gear for wetsuits, two firefighters jumped into the 32-degree water and rescued Saldo. "He was so good," King said of her black and white dog. "He listened to the firefighters and he was trying to hang on with his paws. His head was just above the water." After just 10 minutes, two Wenham firefighters, Capt. Stephen Kavanagh and Deputy Chief Robert Blanchard pulled the sheepdog to safety, Wenham Fire Chief Cal Perkins said. Firefighters then wrapped up Saldo in blankets, Perkins said. The dog did not appear to have any serious injuries and after the quick warm-up, appeared well enough to resume his walk. "He was ready to go right back at it again," Perkins said. King, a William Fairfield Drive resident, said she took Saldo to the veterinarian later in the day. He was suffering from mild hypothermia but is expected to be just fine, King said. She urged all dog walkers to always have a cell phone with them and no matter how mild the weather feels, watch out for ice. "I never dreamed the dog could fall through the ice," King said. Yesterday, Perkins said the rescue call couldn't have come at a better time. Town firefighters are currently undergoing annual ice rescue training drills, he said. "It didn't matter that this was a dog," said Perkins. "The process for the rescue is the same if it's a dog or a small child. We'd treat it the same way." And King is glad they do. "It was a real rescue," she said. This is a link to The Salem News This is a link to the story (no photos...) and who knows how long it will be available... |
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| What a great story!
Even down here our rescue workers are always rescuing pets when they can. Somebody found 8 border collie pups in thier backyard and heard one in a sewage drain. This newborn pup had wandered into the drain pipe. The house owners pulled their toilet trying to get the pup out and finally called the fire department, who flushed it out, warmed it up and made sure it was healthy before turning the whole litter over to a the SPCA. The SPCA then organized a search for the mother. It was wonderful seeing all these people working togethr to help these pups. Was one of the only news stories I let my 8 year old daughter watch. |
 Oh my God ! I think I stopped breathing when I read this ! Thanks for sharing this. I have never thought about carrying my cell phone when I go for a walk with these big guys ! One thing about it... the sheepies are always up for an adventure.
Patch & Griffon's Mom Quote: Have you hugged your sheepie today ?  |
| Whew! I too was holding my breath until the little/big fellow was rescued! Thank goodness it ended on such a happy note!
Marianne |
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