Firefighters Rescue Beagle From Thin Ice

By Andrea Flores

DENVER (CBS4)- Theo, the beagle, is safe after he ran across the ice at Sloan's Lake and got trapped on an island.

Denver fire crews rescued the pup from the icy waters of Sloan's Lake Friday afternoon. They say he was without a leash and may have gotten loose from his home nearby.

"He was having the time of his life," said Denver Assistant Fire Chief, Todd Hamilton. "I don't think he was too crazy to see the big guys in the suits coming at him."

Six firefighters cornered the dog onto an island where he was eventually captured.

Theo is the third dog Denver fire crews have rescued from the water in less than a week. The other two were rescued from Washington Park over the weekend.

"Other than keeping your dog on a leash, the biggest thing you can do is don't go after him," Hamilton said. "The dog will be fine. We'll be there in a timely fashion, get him out of the water, and get him safe and warm."

Jennifer Borg says watching the water rescue with her daughter, Eleanor, taught them an important lesson.

"She'll be three at the end of the month, so I think it kind of registered the safety of water since we live out here."

Denver Fire says there's no telling how thin the ice may be. As sturdy as it may look, fire crews say it's important for the public to know they only have minutes to get you out before hypothermia sets in.

Fire crews say the best thing to do if your dog goes in the water is to call 911 immediately. They say dogs can handle those conditions longer than humans.