Dog saved by US firefighters after falling through ice

A yellow Labrador was rescued by firefighters on Rhode Island after he wandered on to a thin layer of ice covering a pond and fell through.

According to the Misquamicut Fire Department, volunteer firefighters and other emergency officials were called to the scene early on New Year’s Day.

Firefighters saw the dog named Phoenix struggling and unable to move to shore in the slushy, icy water.

Members from both the Misquamicut and Watch Hill fire departments donned ice rescue suits, which help protect the body from freezing temperatures, and entered the pond and successfully rescued Phoenix.

“It was the chillest dog I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Steve Howard, deputy chief of the Misquamicut Fire Department. “The dog never made a sound. He was pretty chill.”

While the firefighters were evaluated for possible hypothermia, they did not require treatment. The fire departments described the incident as “a successful first call of 2026″, in a statement posted on Facebook.

Phoenix was also declared free of injuries but Mr Howard made sure to check in with his owner later on Thursday.

“He got a little bit of extra food last night,” Mr Howard said. “And he took a little nap.”

The incident served as a reminder to treat all ice as potentially dangerous, particularly over bodies of water, the fire department warned.

“No ice is ever safe. Our firefighters train extensively for cold water and ice rescues but these situations are extremely dangerous,” the fire department said.