The Rescue

Stay off the ice!  She has been told that many, many times, but she didn't listen.  Jasmine wandered down a very steep bank and on to the ice before we knew it.  And, of course, she fell through.  When Boyd found her she was clawing at the ice trying to pull herself out.  She had managed to get herself stuck even though she had open water behind her.  I called and called trying to get her to turn, but the bottom half of her was stuck.  Not only was she stuck, but the bank to get down to her was about 12 feet high and incredibly steep.  I grabbed on to weeds and saplings and worked my way down.  A tree with a branch in the water made it easier to walk out into the river.  I held on to an overhanging limb, stepped onto the ice which broke immediately and grabbed my dog by her collar.  Once she was free, she swam back to the bank.  Surprisingly, that part of the river was only knee deep.  I thought for sure I was going to be in past my waist.  Boyd had to lift my dog out because the bank was so steep she couldn't climb it.  Then my poor husband had to grab onto the front of my insulated coveralls and drag me up the bank.  I sloshed all the way back up to the house and Jasmine acted like nothing serious had even happened.  It would have been better to have a camera, but I didn't and I wasn't in any condition to return to the spot.  Maybe when the ice has totally melted, I will get a picture of the steep bank and the very convenient tree. 

 

Proof that she can swim. 

How could you not save her life with a look like that?