A brave dog named Ruby came to her owner’s rescue this week in northern Michigan. Frozen lakes may look beautiful, but they can be very dangerous.
Whilst out for a dog walk, the owner, a 65-year-old man, fell through the ice on a frozen lake in Arbutus Lake, Michigan. Bystanders called 911 after seeing the man fall through the ice.
A Michigan state police officer arrived at the scene and filmed the rescue on his body camera.
The officer, Kammeron Bennetts, used the dog to retrieve rescue equipment and take it to the man in peril.
In a first attempt, Bennetts tries to throw the rescue equipment, a disc tethered to a rope, over to the man, but it does not reach.
The police officer manages to call “Ruby” over to him and ties the rescue disc to the dog’s collar. The man in the water, who had his head and shoulders above the ice, then calls his dog over to him. Ruby reaches him and is able to take the disc to him. The police officer then asks the man to kick his legs and is able to drag him out of the ice by rope onto a safe surface, with the assistance of a firefighter.
The man was in the icy water for around 16 minutes. He was taken to the hospital and is now released, according to a news release from Michigan State Police.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Michigan State Police Seventh District described the rescue as “Great team work!”
Arbutus Lake is a string of five small lakes, covering 394 acres, in the Forest Lakes area of Grand Traverse County. Popular with anglers, these waters are home to a variety of fish, including black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, and sunfish. Cross-country skiing is popular in the winter months, which often experiences snow and icy conditions.
