Dog rescued from ice fishing hole

photo by Chad Cooper

UPDATE: The dog was Pepper Wynne and is safe and sound! She found her people on the ski trail and was taken home right away to warm up by the fireplace.

A dog fell through a hole in the ice left by fishers today. Fortunately, Kelly Krawchuck spotted the big black lab in distress while cross-country skiing on the lake, and was able to lie down on the ice and pull him out by the collar. Kelly then attempted to warm the dog up the best she could.

It is assumed that the dog's owners were on the other side of the lake because the dog ran off in their direction. Hopefully they noticed that he was wet and cold, and checked for signs of hypothermia. Frostbite may show up on extremities as well (ears and pads especially). If you know of LLJ residents or visitors who have a black lab, please contact them to see if this was their dog.

The hole in the ice was in a terrible location -- close to shore and right beside frequently used ski tracks. It was also very large, and will likely take 2 days or more to freeze over.

So this is a reminder to all ice fishers, you should never leave a large hole unmarked. From what I understand, it is common practice to mark holes with branches. Also, it probably goes without saying, but you should never fill the hole with snow. 

From the Criminal Code of Canada 263:

Duty to safeguard opening in ice263. (1) Every one who makes or causes to be made an opening in ice that is open to or frequented by the public is under a legal duty to guard it in a manner that is adequate to prevent persons from falling in by accident and is adequate to warn them that the opening exists.

Thanks so much to Kelly Krawchuck for saving that dog's life!