A large black lab was rescued from thin ice formed around an island in the Kalamazoo River. No one knows how he got onto the island but residents began calling 911 when he starting barking in distress.
Allegan Fire District was dispatched to the scene south of the M-89 bridge in Allegan on Wednesday, Dec. 5, around 10:45 a.m. Using a small rescue boat, firefighters in immersion ice rescue suits accessed the river at Lane Street to get to the island, while others watched from a deck at the Sunoco gas station on Marshall Street.
Once on the island, Chris Adrianson and Tyler Lampros crawled on top of the ice then waded in shallow water after breaking through to get to the dog who stayed dry on top of the ice.
At first the dog shied away from the bright red “gumby” suited duo until discovering they had treats. The firefighters tied a nylon rope into a makeshift leash, which the dog wanted nothing to do with and began barking at them. But after a lot of patience, the leash was administered and the dog gave in for a boat ride to solid ground.
Fire Chief Nick Brink said the dog had no ID tag but was wearing a choke chain. The lab mix looked a bit skinny and was escorted by police to the Allegan County Animal Shelter for warmth, safety and food.
The dog, named “Spike” wasn’t there long before his owners picked him up. They had been searching for Spike since Friday, Nov. 30, and were ecstatic the AFD rescued him.
Brink said the department rescues about six or seven animals a year; however, they are usually cats in trees—the most recent of which attacked them for their efforts.
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