UPDATE: Crew works to save dog from icy St. Joseph River

December 28, 2010|WSBT-TV Report

Rescuers in Osceola spent the early afternoon trying to rescue a dog from the St. Joseph River just off of Vistula and West County Line roads.

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A WSBT photojournalist at the scene said two separate attempts were made by the Penn Township Fire Department to reach the stranded pup using a floating ice-crossing device and later a rubber raft.

During the firefighters’ second attempt, a kayak manned by Jim Lung, who lives nearby, and the chief animal control officer of the St. Joseph County Humane Society, tried to navigate the open river water and reach the dog. This spooked the animal into walking further down river, causing it to briefly fall through the ice.

"Once we started banging on the ice with the kayak paddle and the boat, he just kind of took off, ran about 20 to 30 feet, fell in, got himself out and took off for shore again," Lung said.

Luckily, the animal was able to climb out and run away to safety.

Lung, the owner of the kayak, says he saw the dog and rescue crews from his home on Jefferson Street and decided to grab his kayak and offer to help.

Lung lost a dog last year in a similar situation, when his dog ran across the ice while chasing a coyote.

"I lost a dog out here, about a year ago," Lung said, "Buddy was a beagle, a good dog."

Even though the dog made it to shore on Tuesday, it still hasn't been found. Carol Ecker, St. Joseph County Humane Society executive director, said Humane Society workers went out twice on Tuesday to search for the dog. The Humane Society plans to do another search on Wednesday.

It is still unclear who the owner of the dog could be.

Penn Township Fire Department

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