Firefighters successfully saved the dog from the St. Joseph River in South Bend.
- In South Bend, Indiana, firefighters successfully saved a dog from the icy waters of the St. Joseph River.
- Following a pursuit of geese on a stroll, the dog found himself stranded in the icy water, unable to make it back to the shore.
- Oliver, the dog, has been reunited with his family and is back home.
Indiana firefighters played a crucial role in rescuing a dog from an unintentional polar plunge, expressing their gratitude for the successful operation. The incident occurred on Thursday in downtown South Bend, near the 500 block of Riverside Drive, as reported by the local outlet WSBT 22. At the scene, numerous firefighters braved the ice-filled waters of the St. Joseph River to retrieve the dog from its icy predicament.
A Facebook post from the South Bend Fire Department highlighted the efforts of Swiftwater Specialist Tague, stating, “Swiftwater Specialist Tague enters the St Joseph River and saves a dog today!”
“The South Bend Fire Departments Swiftwater Team responds to multiple calls each year on the river. Remember to always have a friend nearby when out and about along the mighty St Joe River.”
The department later shared a Facebook post featuring a video of the rescue, where the dog was identified as Oliver. “Animals are our family & when a service call comes in for pets, we respond with the same urgency!” The caption stated. “Great job from our South Bend Fire Department Swiftwater Team members in rescuing Oliver from the freezing waters of the St Joe River.”
PEOPLE contacted the South Bend Fire Department for a statement, but an immediate response was not received.
Numerous individuals expressed gratitude and admiration for the officers’ rescue actions in the comments section of both Facebook posts.
As reported by the local outlet ABC57, the owner of Oliver, who opted not to disclose their name, was on a stroll with the canine. During the outing, Oliver became captivated by some geese in the vicinity and, while pursuing them, got stranded in the chilly water, unable to make it back to the shore.
Oliver, having been saved, was reunited with his family, according to ABC57.
In a comparable incident last December, the Duluth Minnesota Fire Department deployed multiple marine units to save a dog that had leaped into the icy waters of Lake Superior.
After traversing the lake’s “extreme cold water and ice” amidst its turbulent waves, divers successfully brought the dog to shore. There, it recuperated from exhaustion and the effects of being “exposure” to the cold, exhibiting “marked signs of improvement..”