Dog rescued after breaking through Ice Tuesday

Tuesday morning, at approximately 08:08 am, the Eastern Shore of Virginia 911 Center received a call for a dog that had wandered into the Chesconessex Creek off Northside Road. The dog had become stuck on the ice and fell into the water, becoming trapped.

Station 9 was contacted, and units, both fire and EMS, responded to the distressed dog. A rescuer was placed in a cold-water ice suit and, using an inflatable raft, traversed the ice and wind to the dog.

The dog (a beagle/hound mix) was pulled from the water and brought safely back to shore. The pup was turned over to Accomack County Animal Control, where it is being treated for hypothermia and minor injuries to its paws from the jagged ice.

We are grateful that the situation ended safely, not only for the dog but also for the responders, who are not frequently tasked with this type of emergency. We thank the Accomack County Department of Public Safety, the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia Marine Resource Commission for their assistance in this incident.

With cold weather predicted to last through the weekend and possibly beyond, it is vital that children and pets be kept off of any frozen water in both counties and beyond. Parents need to watch children and pets at all times.  In order to walk on ice it must be a minimum of 4 inches thick which is very rare for this area.  Children and dogs espceially are attracted to frozen ponds and creeks.  It is urgent that anytime pets and children near frozen areas be under direct observation at all times.  Do not allow either children or pets to walkk on any ice.

Photo Courtesy Tasley VFD