What began as a morning walk in Westerly, Rhode Island, nearly turned tragic when a 5-year-old Golden Retriever named Phoenix fell through an icy pond — but the swift teamwork of first responders brought him safely back to shore, according to a Misquamicut Fire Department Facebook post.
While out for a New Year’s Day stroll with his guardian, Phoenix wandered onto the frozen pond and suddenly plunged through the thin ice near its center.
Fortunately, only minutes later, volunteers arrived on scene to find the dog floundering and stuck in the slushy water, as his guardian watched from the shore. After putting on ice rescue suits to protect against the cold, firefighters entered the pond to save him.
Video shows a rescuer slowly advancing toward Phoenix with a rope attached while breaking through the ice along the way, then securing the dog and signaling to his team to pull them both back to shore. Once safely on land, Phoenix and his rescuers were all found to be in good condition.
Phoenix was surprisingly calm during the crisis. “The dog never made a sound,” Misquamicut Fire Department Deputy Chief Steve Howard said.
Back home later that day, Phoenix took a much-needed nap, and his guardian made sure he had some extra food — a quiet, comforting end to a stressful day.
Lady Freethinker applauds the quick and coordinated response of firefighters, EMS personnel, and police who helped turn a frightening situation for Phoenix and his guardian into a happy ending.
