A GRIPPING video of a dog being rescued by firefighters after falling through thin ice has appeared online.
The footage shows firefighters wading out to rescue the spaniel which had chased a duck 20ft out into the middle of a frozen pond before falling into the icy water.
The men used axes to break through the ice in Keptie Pond in Arbroath, Angus. The dog is visibly distressed and tries to scramble to safety as people watch from the shore.
After minutes of battling through the ice the firefighters reach the dog and carry it to safety. It is wrapped in a blanket and returned to its owners.
Passer-by Murray Lockhart caught the action on his phone. He said: “I just happened to be passing at the time and got my phone out. The fire crew did a great job of rescuing the dog.
“I’ve since heard on Facebook that the dog is back home, safe and warm.”
Distressed
Fire station manager Fraser Scott said: “When the crew initially arrived they had a distressed gentleman who was concerned about his dog, which had chased a duck across the pond and then fallen through ice.
“Because the crew had knowledge and they knew the depth of the water, it was decided they would put on their wet weather gear and lifejackets and carry out a rescue.
“They went out with large axes to break the ice and waded about through the water to get to the animal.
“The dog had been yelping and was in a distressed state.
“It was trying to scramble out but it had no chance because it kept slipping back.
“As soon as we reached it the dog calmed down.
“The crew picked the spaniel up and brought it to shore, wrapped it in a blanket and handed it over to its owner, who was very grateful.”
Serious
A water rescue crew from Dundee was summoned to the scene before being stood down by the Arbroath crew.
Mr Scott added the incident could have been far more serious and advised people to keep children and pets away from frozen ponds.
“This is the first week we’ve had where water starts to freeze over and we’ve already had an incident,” he said.
“Dogs should be kept on a lead and certainly children shouldn’t be allowed to go onto the ice.
“In this case there was the potential that the dog could have fallen in completely and of course with freezing-cold water hypothermia can set in, which can have serious implications.”
