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player ready...Dogs might not be known for having nine lives but one Rottweiler might have at least two.
The adventurous dog was saved from a partially frozen pond Jan. 16 by several Tinley Park police officers and firefighters.
Last week , PAWS of Tinley Park hosted a reception to honor the officers and firefighters.
Good thing the pup had good luck on her side and so many people there to help her during such an unfortunate accident, said Peggy Grimm, president of P.A.W.S. of Tinley Park.
“We seldom get water rescues in the Tinley Park area,” she said. “You usually find water rescues on lakes.”
In the incident, several Tinley Park witnesses saw the Rottweiler running loose Jan. 16 near a retention pond in Tinley Park. The large but timid Rottweiler was reported to have no collar or leash while strolling in the middle of 183rd Street, just west of 80th Avenue, near the small retention pond. When spectators tried to catch the animal, the dog fled onto the pond but fell through ice.
But three Tinley Park Firefighters — Ryan Hannon, Jeff Iwanaga and Jon Popp — jumped aboard a kayak and chopped through ice to paddle to the dog, with more firefighters and police officers waiting on dry land. Finally, they recovered the dog and when they reached the shore they covered it with blankets and then transferred it to a police car that had the heat cranked up.
“It first showed up as a person in the water for a water rescue on our computers,” Tinley Park Firefighter, Mike Wittman, said. “Once we realized it was a dog in the water, the measures taken to rescue her were no different than as if it was a human.”
Wittman showed up on scene driving Tinley Park Fire Engine 204, shortly after Engine 201 arrived with a crew led by Don Debias.
“They had to break through the ice to get her out,” Wittman said. “Once she was able to move, she went right to the firefighters.”
The Rottweiler was cleverly named Icee, a name given after the rescue by Frank LaRocco, of Tinley Park, who made the 911 call after witnessing the dog fall into the pond. He was with his wife, Erin, and daughter, Samantha, 6.
“We were on our way out to buy our daughter a sled because we thought it was going to snow that day, when we saw Ice,” Erin LaRocco said. “It was very traumatic. She was in the water for about 30 minutes, going under and above the freezing water.”
Frank LaRocca said: “This is not my dog, but if it was I would be more then thankful to the Tinley Park Fire Department for doing such a great job when time mattered the most.”
The dog was alert upon recovery and was reported to be skinny, however, otherwise uninjured, according to PAWS of Tinley Park.
“She was very nervous and timid at first, but once she realized she was not in any danger, she has been making a wonderful recovery,” Grimm said.
Three and a half year old, Icee, is at the shelter, 8301 W. 191st Street in Tinley Park, and up for adoption upon full recovery. The shelter will take applications and conduct adoption interviews with interested families.
“It was great to see how everyone responded to a dog in the water,” Grimm said. “From the person who called it in, the police and fire departments and all the caring volunteers at PAWS who kept her warm and the genuine concern from the community.”
Kelly White is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.