Troy Fire Department lauded for dog rescue

UPDATE (Jan. 16)-

The Troy Fire Department will receive a Compassionate Fire Department Award from the national People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organization.

Rescuers pulled a black Labrador retriever, Stella, from the ice-covered Great Miami River on Monday after the 7-year-old pet had been struggling in the water for more than a half hour.

“The Troy Fire Department’s dedication in saving Stella deserves a round of applause, ” PeTA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovicth stated in the release.

Stoneyridge Veterinary Service in Troy, which treated the dog after the ordeal, said a human likely would not have survived being in the frigid water for as long as Stella did.

FIRST REPORT (Jan. 12)-

A black lab was rescued from an ice-coated Great Miami River this morning after struggling for over 30 minutes.

Firefighters were able to pull the dog, a seven-year-old black lab named Stella, safety out of the icy cold waters.

Firefighters initially attempted to lasso Stella from the Adams Street bridge. An ice rescue watercraft was then deployed and a firefighter was able to pull out the dog as she struggled to get back on solid ice.

The dog was taken to Stoneyridge Veterinary Service in Troy. Her vet said her temperature was so low, it wouldn’t register on the thermometer. Staff gave Stella food and warmed her up with heating pads.

Staff at the vet’s office said a human likely wouldn’t able to survive the icy conditions for as long as Stella did, and her webbed feet and thick coat helped save her.