Dog Drifting on Ice Patch in North Saskatchewan River Rescued by Firefighters

It was a terrifying start to the day for one dog but thanks to quick action, it turned into a rescue no one will forget.

Early Wednesday morning, a dog was spotted stranded on a drifting patch of ice in the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton.

As the sun came up, she floated helplessly downstream, carried by the fast-moving current and heading toward the Tawatinâ Bridge.

Dog on the river.
by u/lowhalf12 in Edmonton

Firefighters with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services rushed to the scene, launching a rescue effort as the situation grew more dangerous by the minute.

Calling out to her with plenty of encouragement, they were finally able to reach her and pull her to safety near the Capilano Bridge just after 8 a.m.

She was then taken into the care of Animal Care and Control, where her story took an even happier turn.

In an update, they shared:
“A happy ending to a scary tail. Yesterday our friends Edmonton Fire Rescue Services shared a post of a dog rescued from the fast flowing North Saskatchewan River. Our Animal Control Officers attended the scene to pick up the dog and bring it to shelter where she received a medical exam and vaccinations and a safe space to rest from our Medical and Kennel Care teams while our Customer Service team began their search for the dog’s owner. A short time after the rescue post was shared to our page, Nala’s human reached out informing us that she was her dog and an appointment was made to pick her up. This morning they were reunited and the relief and excitement to see each other from both Nala and her human was undeniable.”

Watch their reunion in the video below:

Officials are urging pet owners to keep dogs leashed around riverbanks and to call 911 immediately if an animal becomes stranded.

What began as a frightening ordeal ended in a joyful reunion, reminding everyone how important it is to keep our pets safe near water.