Man thanks fire department after 2 dogs rescued from ice

A man in Murray River, P.E.I., is thanking fire officials in the area after they helped rescue two of his dogs from the ice.

Chris MacLeod says his dog, Dash, figured out how to open the gate in his yard and took off with two other dogs Bear and Dowser Thursday morning.

"They're just a mixed breed, but Bear, he literally looks like a big bear," he said. "He's just a big woolly dog."

By that evening,MacLeod got word that a woman leaving a gas station in the area sawtwo of his dogs stranded on some ice in the area.

Bear fell in the cold water near the Murray River wharf and Dash was trying to haul him out, MacLeod said.

"He was jumping in the water trying to push him up on the ice. When he couldn't push him up. He'd get back on the ice and then he'd grab him by the collar and try and pull him, but he just couldn't pull him."

But Dash soon got help with the rescue.

MacLeod is not sure who called the Murray River fire department first but he's glad they did.

Four fire officials put on ice suits and slid on their bellies across the ice to scoop up the pooches around 4 p.m., said Fire Chief Troy Ferguson.

"The fire department was great," said MacLeod. "Theyshowed up so quick. It was just amazing."

Bear is recovering well after the scare, MacLeod said.

"He's doing great now. Butwhen he first got out of the ice he's not used to a bunch of people and he took off running."

But he didn't gofar.

"I ran up the shore and called him and once he realized it was me he turned and he came back to me and I took him just to go home. He's doing great now."

While he is happy to have two of his dogs home he is still missing one. Dowser, a large black mixed breed, hasn't been located. MacLeod and his family have been searching for the last three days.

This isn't the first time the dogs made a run for it, but MacLeod said they usually go in the opposite direction and not toward the water.

MacLeod is hoping Dowser is safe, but he worries the dog may have fallen through the ice, too.