Fryeburg firefighters pulled a dog and a would-be rescuer from Lovewell Pond after the dog fell in and two people tried to help it.

It was the second dog rescue in as many days and comes as public safety officials are warning residents to be cautious about thin ice following an unusually warm December. The Maine Warden Service on Thursday warned snowmobilers to be alert for weak ice and said that riding on unfamiliar bodies of water is one of the top four contributing factors to snowmobile accidents.

Police, fire and rescue units were called to 259 Lovewell Pond Road just before noon Thursday for the ice rescue, said Police Chief Joshua Potvin.

Chappy, a 2½-year-old Weimaraner visiting the area with its owner, ventured out onto the thin ice covering the pond, broke through about 100 feet from shore and could not get back.

The homeowner tried to make his way to the dog using a large, flat board to disperse his weight, but he also fell through, Potvin said.

The dog’s owner tried to get to the stranded pair and also broke through into water up to her waist, Potvin said. She retreated to shore and called 911.

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Firefighters used a sled-like Rescue Alive device, with large, flat floats to disperse weight, to reach the man and the dog, using a hand-held hook on the end of a rod to pull the sled forward along the ice. They used a sit-on-top kayak to get the man and dog back to shore safely.

The group was checked by rescue workers but did not require medical attention, Potvin said.

Weimaraners are short-haired hunting dogs that are often trained to retrieve on land or in the water.

“We are pleased this story had a happy ending for both Chappy and its adult rescuers,” Potvin said in a statement. “Early 911 activation and prompt response to this scene by responders prevented a potential tragedy.”

Potvin said dogs are often attracted to water and it is up to their owners to keep them safe.

On Wednesday, a dog was pulled from Notched Pond in Raymond after falling through the ice.

 


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