Firefighters rescue dog from frozen Foys Lake

Local firefighters put their ice-rescue training to use Friday when they were called to save a family’s dog that had fallen through the ice on Foys Lake.

Smith Valley Fire Department rescue crews responded to the call made by the dog’s owners just after 6 p.m. on Dec. 15.

The Foys Lake residents told rescuers they had been shoveling the driveway when their dog wandered away and out onto the frozen lake. The ice gave out under the dog’s feet about 100 feet from the shoreline. Rescue personnel said they could see the dog, described as a large shepherd mix, from the shore when they arrived on scene.

“The dog was swimming and trying to get back up onto the ice, but couldn’t get its footing,” said Smith Valley Fire Department Chief Amy Beick.

Five firefighters from the Smith Valley Fire Department were assisted by a Flathead County Search and Rescue coordinator and a Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputy to recover the pet.

The ice was too thin for emergency responders to attempt to walk on it, Beick said, so they decided to physically break through the ice to get to the dog.

One person put on an ice-rescue suit, attached by rope to the responders on shore. Beick described the process of breaking the ice as quick but exhausting work.

“It didn’t take too long but it takes a lot of effort,” she said.

The rescuer held onto the dog and both were pulled back into shore, Beick reported. The animal was exhausted and cold from being submerged in the frigid water, but seemed to be OK, she said.

Emergency personnel instructed the owners to dry off the dog, get it warm, and follow up with a veterinarian.

The owners were grateful to be reunited with their friend, Beick said.

“It was a good save and a happy ending,” she said.

Reporter Breeana Laughlin can be reached at 758-4441 or blaughlin@dailyinterlake.com.