Crime & Safety

Darien Fire Rescues Drowning Pup From Icy Pond

A puppy falls through the ice at Cherry Lawn Park.

The call came in at about 9 a.m., said Shane Smith of the Darien Fire Department.

A Darien resident, on a Wednesday morning stroll through Cherry Lawn Park, saw a woman—knee deep in icy water—struggling through the pond. She was trying to save her Cocker Spaniel; he had fallen through the ice and was struggling to keep afloat.

"He didn't have long," said Smith. "He was paddling so hard, and he was really cold."

Early signs of hypothermia can occur in just five minutes, said Smith; so for this small pup, the difference between life and Puppy Heaven was a matter a minutes.

"The whole thing, start to finish, was over in ten, fifteen minutes," said Smith. "Right when we got there, he just stopped paddling."

It was a sign of surrender.

Smith and Dan Vasquez, decked out in specialized water-rescue gear, were able to grab the puppy and bring him to safety.

"He was really happy to see us," said Smith. "The rest of the firefighters helped pull us in with the dog."

Dennis Smith said the puppy was very, very cold and struggling to stand up in the rescue truck; but the last the firemen had heard, puppy is "doing okay" at the veterinarian's.

Puppy wasn't the only victim of this incident. Smith said Mom also risked suffering hypothermia. She had waded through icy water as a rescue attempt; her jeans were soaked in frigid water. As a necessary precaution, firemen directed her to quickly change into a dry hospital gown, courtesy of Post 53, and fireman pants.

Smith urges dog-walkers to use a leash when near water, and to resist the urge to jump in, should puppy take the plunge.

"Please call 911. We don't want to be saving the dog and the owner," said Smith.

Keep it here at darien.patch.com for puppy updates and photos.


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