A Liberty Twp. woman and dog were pulled from a pond behind the condos at Four Bridges by a Butler County Sheriff’s deputy who is a member of the sheriff’s emergency response services.
The dog wandered off and walked onto the pond, breaking through the ice. The woman crawled onto the ice to save her dog and broke through the ice and submerged into the freezing water. The deputy pulled both to safety by grabbing the woman’s ankle.
On Jan. 31, the West Chester Department crews rescued a dog in danger on this frozen pond near Lesourdsville-West Chester Road.
West Chester EMS Capt. Jason Hartley said a neighbor called 911 to report the pup in the partially frozen pond.
“The outer 10 feet of the pond was frozen and the center was open,” Hartley said. “The owner said every morning her dog runs out the back and starts to bark a the geese in the pond. And this time it got a a little too excited and in it went.”
On Friday, a dog was rescued by West Chester crews at a pond on Demick Road. The struggling dog was half in and half out of the frozen pond when he was pulled to safety.
Hartley said call 911 and don’t attempt to rescue a pet on your own. And watch pets who run too close to the icy pond.
“We don’t want people attempting a rescue, because although that pond may look frozen, you just never know how thick the ice is,” He said. “Everybody goes swimming in the summer. It’s not like that. When you swim you are typically not wearing jeans, a coat, a sweater and a big heavy boots. You have all that added weight and a giant fur ball to hold that adds a lot of weight. Don’t risk it.”
Butler County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer agreed, saying to call for help before attempting a rescue.
“I get it, our animals are like family and it is your first instinct to safe them,” Dwyer said. “But you have to understand we don’t want a situation where we lose an animal and a family member. In our area, usually response is quick. Before doing anything, call 911.”
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