Firefighters use inflatable boat to rescue dog that fell through thin ice

PESHTIGO, Wis. (WBAY/Gray News) - Firefighters in Wisconsin worked to rescue a dog that fell through the ice of a river on Monday.

Shortly after 10 a.m., a Peshtigo police officer responded to the scene where they saw a dog running off the ice on the Peshtigo River. Another dog, named Calvin, had fallen through the ice and was spotted by the officer, who then called dispatch and contacted the owner.

Peshtigo City Fire Chief Chuck Gardon said they tried to get a firefighter out on the ice to save the dog, but it was too dangerous.

“You couldn’t walk on it. You couldn’t lay on it. It just wasn’t going,” he said.

Fire crews quickly brought an inflatable rescue boat capable of gliding over ice to help.

Crew members “jumped on board, grabbed some paddles and started breaking ice and going out to the dog.”

Calvin was in the water for about 37 minutes before he was finally rescued, police said. Calvin’s owner took the animal to a local veterinary clinic to be checked out.

“He just is an active dog who wanted to go harass the geese and it got him in trouble,” Gordon said.

Calvin is now recovering in the comfort of his own home.

Firefighters advise any humans taking to the ice this winter to check conditions ahead of time.

Copyright 2022 WBAY via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.