Texas has seen unusual weather as temperatures dropped to below freezing and snow fell. During this time, a black Labrador Retriever mix, named Shadow, ended up falling into a frozen pond.
Thanks to the bravery and quick-thinking of Southlake police officers, Shadow was eventually rescued and brought to safety.
Once officers arrived at the pond, which was near White’s Chapel United Methodist Church, they spotted Shadow struggling to cling to a thin shit of ice. Most of his body was submerged under water, and he would’ve eventually died from either hypothermia or drowning if they didn’t save him when they did.
Officers whistled at Shadow, trying to get him to paddle as close to the officers as he could, but he ended up getting stuck and began crying for help.
An officer then used a pole in order to break up the frozen ice around him so that he could jump into the water. Shoulder-deep, he held onto a long rope while officers on land held the other end.
With a pool float in hand, he trekked his way through frigid water toward Shadow, and lifted him up onto the float as officers pulled them both back to shore with the rope.
Thankfully, Shadow was ok and soon reunited with his family.
Unfortunately, this was not the first time this winter that pets had to be rescued in this weather. The Southlake Department of Public Safety is now urging all pet owners to keep a close eye on their pets during this unusual weather in Texas.
“Please watch your pets over the next few days, as many of them have never seen ponds and pools freeze over,” they wrote on Twitter. “They’re fast and curious! We’ve seen a number of pet rescues on Facebook lately, so please please please keep a vigilant eye on your beloved family members!”
