A man and his group of friends were walking by a slightly frozen body of water when they saw a frightening sight. A black, furry mass was bobbing and squealing as it tried to get purchase on the top of the water.
The poor animal was almost in the middle of the slushy, icy river. It’s unknown how the little pooch ended up in the water, but he almost certainly was close to freezing to death.
With no time to wait for the authorities, one of the men stripped his shirt off and plunged into the icy water. The top of the river was too slushy to hold his weight, but it was also too cold and frozen to allow him to move freely.
Each time the man took a step, he had to raise his arms overhead and smash them into the top of the water to break apart the frozen slush. Step by step, the man exerted a ton of effort to save this canine from an icy death.
The man reached the animal in time to save his life.
It’s unknown whether the dog has an owner or not. It’s important for dog owners to understand that they have to keep their pets safe in cold, icy weather. A person can succumb to hypothermia in water that is between 32.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4.5 degrees Celsius. It would take as little as ten to fifteen minutes for a person to pass out from hypothermia.
Pet owners who are walking their dogs in the outdoors where there are bodies of water nearby should keep their dog on a leash. While the owner of the dog that was saved didn’t seem to be nearby, it’s important to remember to keep your pet from leaving the yard too.
If you’re walking your dog close to an area with a body of water, make sure that if you allow the dog off the leash that they will listen to commands. If your dog isn’t a very obedient dog, it’s best to keep the dog on the leash in the winter time.
Thankfully the dog found by the group of friends was saved from an icy death in the frozen water. While it’s unclear who the dog belonged to, it’s almost guaranteed that the man who risked his own life to save the dog would make sure it was cared for after its scary encounter.