Dog News

Michigan Community Saves Dog from Lake Drowning

by Katherine

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On April 2, 2014, Mike Bruner from Independence Township, Mich., became a hero when he jumped into a frozen lake to save a dog close to drowning.

The 61-year-old man was driving with a friend when they spotted the struggling canine in a small lake off of M-15 near Oak Hill Road. Immediately the men pulled over and Bruner attempted to rescue the pet.

“I’m looking, and I can’t believe what my eyes are seeing,” Bruner told Macomb Daily. “All I see is his head and his paws sticking out of the water.”

The local man tried walking on the frozen lake surface but 15 feet off of shore the ice gave way and Bruner fell into the cold water. Another Good Samaritan who had witnessed the first rescue attempt stepped on the ice and he fell into the lake as well.

Michigan community comes together to rescue dog trapped in frozen lake.
Michigan community comes together to rescue dog trapped in frozen lake.

 

By this time, more concerned animal lovers had approached the lake and tried to assist in the rescue while authorities responded to the emergency call. One of witnesses had ladders in his truck and these were used to pull the men and the dog out of the water.

When police and fire rescuers arrived on the scene, the Good Samaritans had rescued the men and the pet. Bruner used rope to tie around the dog’s torso and this enabled them to pull the scared and tired dog out of the freezing lake.

“If that dog went under, I was thinking about going in,” Bruner said. “I wouldn’t have slept for weeks if I had watched a dog drown. I’m a cat person, but that doesn’t make a difference. I don’t want to see an animal die.”

The canine did not suffer any physical injuries. He was just shaken from the traumatic event. Lucky for the pet, his hero rescuer was able to reunite him with his owner later that same afternoon.