Dog retrieved after fall through ice in Northfield

NORTHFIELD — Firefighters came to the rescue of a 6-month-old border collie Tuesday evening after it fell through the ice of the partially melted Connecticut River.

Firefighters gathered near the Pauchaug Boat Ramp at approximately 6 p.m., gazing across the river while a young woman yelled for her dog. Although the dog made its way out from under the ice on its own and began running around, it could not fully make its way up to the riverbank.

“The 6-month-old pup fell onto the ice and went through,” Fire Chief Floyd “Skip” Dunnell III said, looking across the water with a pair of binoculars. “He’s trying to get himself out now, but he can’t get back [on land].”

That’s when Northfield firefighters crossed the Connecticut River to get to the riverbank along Caldwell Road. There, the dog’s owners assisted first responders to retrieve the dog from the river.

“The father was out along the river still looking, but he didn’t have his cellphone. We did a secondary search to ensure he got home safely,” Northfield Detective Curtis Weaver said. “The dog is safe and its owners are safe, too.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.