In Missouri, a dog that had fallen into a frozen lake amidst near-zero temperatures was dramatically rescued by the local fire department, as shown in a video of the event.
The St. Louis Fire Department (STLFD) shared footage of the daring rescue on its Facebook page on Monday, highlighting the efforts of its Marine Rescue Task Force that spearheaded the operation.
“Amidst biting single-digit temperatures, a dog ventured onto the ice, only to face a perilous predicament,” STLFD reported.
“The ice broke beneath it, leaving the dog stranded in icy water, unable to swim to safety as the cold rapidly sapped its strength.”
The Marine Rescue Task Force from STLFD can be seen nearing a dog stuck in the frigid waters after the ice collapsed in St. Louis, Missouri. (Courtesy of the St. Louis Fire Department)
The video captures a rescue boat making its way toward a large dog desperately holding onto the ice, striving to remain above water.
As rescue personnel pulled the dog from the frozen water, it appeared stiff and numb from the cold. It remains unclear how long the dog had been stranded before the rescue.
A rescue crew member reaches for a dog trapped in freezing water during a dramatic ice rescue in St. Louis, Missouri. (St. Louis Fire Department)
Multiple responders then grasped the canine by the neck and back to lift it onboard, during which the dog could be heard slightly whimpering.
The dog then slumped into the boat, with one crew member gently patting it in comfort.
A dog lays inside a rescue boat after it fell through an icy lake during freezing temperatures in St. Louis, Missouri. (St. Louis Fire Department)
The fire department noted that the task force responded just in time after receiving a call reporting the incident.
“Crews launched, navigated the frozen conditions, and reached the dog just in time, carefully pulling it from the icy water and bringing it to safety,” the department said.
STLFD added that the dog is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.
Fox News Digital reached out to the St. Louis Fire Department for more information.
