A scare emerged on a cold winter morning when a 120-pound Great Pyrenees named Belle found herself in a precarious situation – trapped in a partially frozen backyard pond.
For nearly 30 harrowing minutes, the 7-year-old pup struggled to tread water, growing exhausted as temperatures dipped.
Thankfully for Belle and her worried owner Roseanne, help arrived just in the nick of time.
Hearing Belle’s distressed barking, Roseanne looked out to find her dog struggling in the middle of the icy water. After a failed attempt to rescue Belle herself due to the pond’s muddy bottom, Roseanne dialed 911.
The Long Grove Fire Department wasted no time responding to the call. Firefighters, equipped with special gear, could see Belle’s paws perched on the edge of the frozen shelf as she waited for assistance.
With winter weather posing hypothermia risks after just 20-30 minutes in 50-degree water, the rescuers knew they had to act swiftly.
Lieutenant Khristine Mullen explained the firefighters worked fast to safely bring the soaked Belle to shore without any medical issues, despite her freezing plunge.
For Roseanne, seeing Belle pulled from the pond’s clutches was nothing short of a miracle after fearing the worst.
Thankfully, due to the quick thinking of Roseanne and skilled response from the Long Grove Fire Department, Belle’s frozen rescue had a happy ending.
The pup’s ordeal serves as a reminder of humanity’s ability to come together and save our four-legged friends from harm’s way.