New Hampshire: Firefighters rescue cat frozen in ice on pond

NEWTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE -- Firefighters have come to the aid of a cat that was frozen in the ice on a New Hampshire pond.

Sean Kane, a firefighter and EMT in Newton, New Hampshire, tells The Boston Globe the cat's two back paws and tail were frozen in the ice Thursday morning. It also had a chunk of ice on its back. Wind chills were in the single digits.

Firefighters think the brown and gray long-haired cat lay down and ended up freezing into the pond. They poured warm water on the cat, wrapped it in towels and used a heating pad.

There was no ID on the cat, and firefighters posted a photo on Facebook.

The animal now is being cared for by the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

(WJTV - Jan 25, 2018)

Canada: Dramatic video shows the moment a terrified dog is rescued after it fell through thin ice at a creek

CANADA -- A terrified dog was rescued by firefighters on Sunday after it ran onto the ice of a creek in Canada and fell through.

Swift Current Fire Chief Denis Pilon said on Facebook that the pooch was out for a walk with its owner when the incident happened.

'They [the owner] allowed their dog to run off leash when it ventured our onto the ice and fell through,' Pilon wrote. 'Quick action calling the fire department helped save their pet.'

In the video, one of the firefighters is seen tied to a strap as he makes his way onto the ice to grab the pup.

It appears the dog's back legs were in the water as the firefighter tried to lift the canine's backside out of the ice.

The firefighter nearly fell headfirst in the icy water before catching his balance and grabbing the dog.

Once the dog and the firefighter got halfway, the man signaled for the other firefighters to stop pulling them to safety.

The terrified pooch was sliding in another direction and the firefighter needed a moment to get a good grip on him.

After a few moments of slipping and sliding, they were brought back to safety.

First responders are heard in the video saying that the dog's legs 'are froze up a bit' as the pooch attempted to walk towards his owners.

The crew wrapped the dog up with a warm blanket as the owners gave the pup a huge hug.

 

Fire Chief Pilon warned folks to steer clear of the creek.

'Please keep your pets and children away from the creek, the ice is thin and it is NOT safe,' Pilon said.

VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

(Daily Mail - Dec 4, 2017)

Minnesota: Moose Rescued from Hungry Jack Lake After Falling Through the Ice

MINNESOTA -- A young female moose was crossing Hungry Jack Lake early Monday morning when she suddenly fell through the ice.

Forrest Parson, owner of Hungry Jack Lodge, reported the incident after he witnessed the 650-pound moose fall through the ice as he was enjoying his morning cup of coffee. Parson reportedly called the local DNR and volunteer fire department for help.

Ice rescuers included Jim Morrison, Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department Chief, Bob McCloughhan, and Dave Seaton of Hungry Jack Outfitters. Seaton was the first on scene and carefully towed a canoe out to where the moose fell through the ice.

Seaton spoke with 90.7 WTIP radio about the incident where he stated, “We had to try a few different angles.”

Using a tow strap, they were able to pull the young cow out of the water and onto more stable ice.

“It took a while, a little encouragement, before she caught her breath and was able to walk herself to shore.”

It is believed that the young cow may have been chased by a wolf pack early this morning and out onto the ice.

(Fox21 - April 10, 2017)

Michigan: German shepherd rescued from icy creek in Wyandotte

MICHIGAN -- Thanks to an alert couple — or perhaps more accurately their chocolate Labrador retriever — police and animal control officers rescued a dog trapped on the banks of an icy creek.

At about 6 p.m. March 16, Dan and Cathy Korycinski were walking their dog at Beaver Park, in the area of 12th Street and Goddard, when something strange happened.

In a scene reminiscent of a Lassie movie, the dog alerted the couple to something that was going on by the creek, “hauling” them to the creek’s bank, where they spotted the German shepherd.

“He looked exhausted and cold,” Cathy Korycinski said. “My husband took our dog home while I waited for the officer to arrive. I always carry dog cookies in my pocket while out walking and tried to coax him up with them, but he seemed too tired to care. He did have a leash on and we couldn’t tell if it was tangled in the brush or not.”

Korycinski said within 15 to 20 minutes after talking to Wyandotte police, a Lincoln Park animal control officer showed up and assessed the problem. The area is covered with brush and is hard to access.

“He called in for help and within minutes three more officers showed up, from both Wyandotte and Lincoln Park,” she said. “One of the officers went down the bank and was able to get hold of the dog’s leash and working together with the other officers was able to get the dog up the icy and slippery embankment.”

Officer Chris Sawmiller went down the embankment and nudged the dog upward, as Wyandotte Animal Control Officer Chuck Gillenwater and two other officers assisted from the top of the embankment.

Police said the dog had a belt around its neck, serving as a makeshift leash, but no license or other tags identifying who it belonged to.

According to police, the dog was very thin, but otherwise appeared to be in good health. It was taken to Downriver Central Animal Control’s intake facility.

Korycinski said she and her husband could not simply leave the dog there, so they were glad when the officers responded.

“When they got him up, he licked their hands,” she said. “He was probably grateful, and they carried him to the truck. He is a beautiful dog. Thanks to these guys that dog will have a warm place to sleep tonight.”

(Southgate News Herald - Mar 17, 2017)

Connecticut: Police rescue deer from frozen river

CONNECTICUT -- A deer was rescued by authorities in Connecticut after becoming trapped on a frozen river.

The animal was trapped on the Farmington River in Simsbury, Connecticut for hours Monday, and the entire ordeal was caught on camera.

Authorities started by watching the deer's progress, hoping she could get herself off the ice.

 

 

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the deer was chased onto the ice by coyotes right off of Riverside Road.

The Simsbury Animal Control Officer was on the scene as well.

 

At first, the deer had at least one leg stuck in the water but was able to worked it out. Around 1:20 p.m., a team of wildlife experts tried to put sand on the ice in hopes of helping her gain footing.

"Our goal was to try and save this animal's life," said Mark Rudewicz, Simsbury's animal control officer.

  

 

(Kern Golden Empire - Feb 16, 2017)

Oregon: Farmers lasso cow stranded on the ice, pull it to shore

OREGON -- A stranded cow was brought to safety with the help of Oregon police officers.

Members from Oregon's Polk County Sheriff's Office and Monmouth Police Department helped lasso in a cow that was trapped on a frozen pond.

  

  

 

"The cow had gone out onto the frozen pond, had fallen and couldn't get up," the Polk County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook.

The officers were able to lasso the cow into safety. "After a couple minutes the cow was able to gain its footing and walk under its own power to the barn," the police department said.

(ABC13 - Jan 12, 2017)

North Carolina: Beagle mix rescued after falling through the ice into a pond

NORTH CAROLINA -- Orange County Sheriff's Office added 11 new photos to their Facebook page.

This morning an alert citizen noticed a dog that had fallen through the ice into a pond.

  

  

Petey managed to find himself struggling to keep his head above water 30-40 ft from the shore.

Deputies responded and quickly procured a boat from a nearby off-duty Carrboro Police Department Officer.

Members of the Alamance County Rescue Unit, Mebane Fire Department, & Orange County Animal Services (NC) ventured out in the boat onto the pond, breaking a path in the ice to get to Petey.

 

After getting back on dry land, Petey, was cared for by Orange County Emergency Services - NC in a toasty ambulance with lots of blankets in order to warm him up.

We are unsure of how long Petey was in water, but we're certain that without the teamwork of all the folks that were involved today, Petey might not have made it home.

Another post said that it took the crews almost two hours to get everyone there and coordinated and then get the dog out of the water.

 

 

 

Petey is resting comfortably now, and is expected to make a full recovery.

There may not have been a human life hanging in the balance, but everyone involved treated the situation just as seriously. Good work team!!

Minnesota: Goodhue County deputies rescue deer stranded on the ice

MINNESOTA -- The job can get a bit wild when you're a deputy working in a river town.

Just ask Sergeant Scott Powers.

The Goodhue County Deputy is a water patrol and rescue specialist, and those rescues involve animals more often than people. That was the case Thursday when a Red Wing resident flagged him down around 3:30 p.m., and told him that a young deer had been stuck on the ice of the Mississippi River all day, and couldn't seem to get off.

Deputy Powers drove down to the river, spotted the deer laying on the ice, and then called his counterpart across the river in Pierce County, Wisconsin. Recreation Patrol Deputy Jeremy Brookshaw showed up with his airboat, the two deputies launched it and piloted it to where the little deer was stranded.

After nosing the boat onto the ice Deputy Powers climbed off, approached the deer, and then pulled her into shore.

"She didn't struggle or anything," Powers told KARE 11. "Normally she would be kicking and struggling, but we figure she was tired." 

 

By that time Deputy Brookshaw had climbed off the boat. He picked the young female up, walked into the woods and set her down. The men expected that she would lay down after her ordeal, but the deer stood up and wandered away.

Powers believes the deer came down to the river to get a drink and fell through the ice. She somehow managed to scramble back up on the ice, but was soaked by the frigid water and her legs were also scraped up, likely by the sharp ice.

 

There is also no snow on the ice in Red Wing, and with the deer's slick hooves it is very difficult for the animals to stand up and walk. The witness who flagged Powers down said the deer had been out there for hours.

Powers was quick to credit Deputy Brookshaw, and remarked how often the two departments work together. In recent years they've rescued dogs, deer, and even an eagle that became stuck on the ice somehow.

He also says it would be difficult to do the job without an airboat, and both departments consider theirs extremely valuable.

(KARE11 - Feb 12, 2016)

Massachusetts: Kitten Found With Paws Frozen to Fence Will Be Up For Adoption at MSPCA

MASSACHUSETTS -- The warmer weather came just in time for a kitten who was found with his front paws frozen to a metal fence in Dorchester last weekend.

Dubbed “Ralphie” by the employees of the MSPCA Angell Animal Medical Center, after the classic film A Christmas Story, in which a boy got his tongue stuck to a pole (though it wasn’t Ralphie who did that, the sentiment is still there), the 6- or 7-week-old kitten was found Saturday evening.

A local man heard the kitten’s cries and used warm water to free his feet before taking him to Angell in Jamaica Plain.

Dr. Meagan Rock delivered emergency care, which included warming the kitten with blankets and heated water bottles, and administered pain medicine for his blistered paws.

Rock will be fostering Ralphie at her home until he makes a complete recovery. Then he will be brought back to the MSPCA to be neutered, immunized, and placed for adoption.

Rob Halpin, an MSPCA spokesman, told Boston.com that will happen in the next week or so.

“He’s little, and he’s adorable,” he said. “He’ll likely go into a new home very quickly.”

Ralphie’s paws are blistered, but Halpin said they will heal.

Halpin said that, though the area has been fortunate to see a significant decrease of homeless cats and dogs, this situation has happened before.

“We’ve seen dogs and cats with their faces, lips, and more commonly their paws stuck to fences or polls in the bitter cold,” he said. “But it appears Boston is on the other side of that weather.”

Halpin said that Ralphie is a friendly kitten but was clearly a stray. Anyone interested in adopting Ralphie or another animal in need can email adoption@mspca.org for more information.

(Boston.com - March 12, 2015)

Colorado: Colorado Parks and Wildlife refuse to help deer stranded on ice

COLORADO -- It would be too dangerous to try to rescue a deer stuck in an icy lake in Golden, Colorado Parks and Wildlife district officials said.

Neighbor Carol Malin spotted the large mule deer and called the fire department on Thursday.

"It's quite a way out there [on the lake]," Malin said. "It's a beautiful animal."

Coors sent a crew with a boat and a winch to the scene to discuss rescuing the animal.

The deer is not exactly frozen into the lake, it can move, but it can't get out.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife district spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said they have no plans to try to rescue it.

For now.

Churchill said crews may begin 'hazing' the animal by yelling and making noise to try to scare it, hoping that might help get him out of the lake.

Churchill said the deer appears to be in good condition. She says there is no indication the animal has broken through the ice and it is not struggling.

The deer is stranded several hundred feet offshore and drawing a crowd of onlookers.

(newsnet5.com - Jan 10, 2013)