Firefighters Rescue Dog Who Fell Through Ice

A yellow Labrador out for a walk with his owner in Rhode Island had to be rescued by firefighters on New Year's Day after he wandered onto a thin layer of ice covering a pond and fell through the center, per the AP. According to the Misquamicut Fire Department, volunteer firefighters and other emergency officials were dispatched early Thursday morning for a water rescue. Once on scene, firefighters saw a dog named Phoenix struggling and unable to move to shore in the slushy, icy water.

Members from both the Misquamicut and Watch Hill fire departments donned ice rescue suits, which help protect the body from frigid temperatures, to enter the pond and successfully rescue Phoenix. The National Weather Service reported it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit around 9am on Thursday, with the wind chill dropping the temperature to 14 degrees. "It was the chillest dog I've ever seen in my life," said Steve Howard, deputy chief of the Misquamicut Fire Department, in a phone interview on Friday. "The dog never made a sound. He was pretty chill."

While the firefighters were evaluated for possible hypothermia, they did not require treatment. Phoenix was also declared free of injuries, but Howard made sure to check in with his owner later Thursday. "He got a little bit of extra food last night," Howard said. "And he took a little nap."