Pair of dogs rescued after being stranded on Detroit River ice patch

Two dogs trapped on the ice in the Detroit River were rescued. CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru has the story.

It’s unclear how two dogs ended up stranded on a patch of ice on the Detroit River Saturday afternoon — or who they belong to — but they’re now safely back on land after emergency crews, aided by a local airboat operator, navigated icy waters to reach them.

Photos of the dogs circulating on social media Saturday afternoon prompted concern, leading to a response after Windsor police and fire dispatchers reported animals drifting on the river.

LaSalle Fire Service crews were dispatched and later located the dogs north of Fighting Island, several hundred metres offshore, according to LaSalle Deputy Fire Chief Mark Seguin.

“I don’t know where their journey started,” Seguin said, speaking with AM800 Monday morning. “That would be interesting to know where they started from and how far they travelled.”

Firefighters deployed LaSalle’s ice rescue team from Laurier Drive, operating a department boat in mixed ice and open water conditions.

Given the surface conditions, LaSalle fire crews accepted help from Jude Mead of nearby J&J Marine, who offered to use his airboat to assist with the rescue.

Airboats are well suited for icy conditions because they can travel over both ice and open water without a submerged propeller, allowing crews to move through broken or thin ice where conventional boats can struggle.

Mead said he was at home in Amherstburg when he received a call about the situation. By the time he arrived, LaSalle Fire crews had already located the dogs and directed him to their position.

“They were the ones that received the call. They’re the ones that located the dogs,” Mead said. “They pretty much told us where the dogs were, and so we just jumped in the airboat, went out there and assisted them.”

Mead said the dogs appeared to be “a little bit scared” when responders approached.

“They don’t know any of us,” Mead said. “Eventually, they warmed up to the idea that they wanted to get off the ice and they got in.”

Once the dogs were brought into the airboat, a firefighter returned to shore with them while LaSalle Fire followed in a separate vessel. From the time Mead arrived, he said, the rescue took roughly 25 to 30 minutes.

Mead stressed that fire crews were already managing the scene when he arrived and credited them with leading the response.

“The fire department is really the real heroes,” he said. “They were a lot bigger part of it than we were. I’m just glad that we could help.”

After being brought back to shore, the dogs were taken to a veterinarian for assessment before being transferred to the Lakeshore Dog Pound.

This is not the first time Mead has assisted in an on-ice dog rescue.

In 2021, Mead helped save a dog stranded on river ice during a separate incident and later adopted that dog himself.

Alex Denonville, manager of communications and engagement for the Municipality of Lakeshore, said the dogs appear to be in good shape considering what they went through over the weekend.

“The vet gave them a clean bill of health,” Denonville said.

As of Monday, no owner has contacted the municipality to claim the dogs.

“Usually, we hear from owners within two days,” Denonville said. “Social media does its thing, pictures are shared, which is happening right now, but an owner has not been identified yet.”

Seguin said ice rescues require significant coordination, with teams working both on the water and from shore.

“Our boat is usually staffed with four people,” he said. “But just because we have four people on the water, we also have a team on shore with binoculars trying to spot the dogs and support our team that’s out there.”

He urged residents not to attempt rescues themselves and to keep pets on leash near waterways during winter conditions.

“No ice is safe,” Seguin said. “Conditions change quite rapidly, and you never know where you’re going to find yourself.”

The Lakeshore Dog Pound is asking the dogs’ owner to contact them at 519-727-6495.