70-pound Labradoodle fights for life in icy pond as Missouri firefighters rush to her

A 70-pound Labradoodle named Maggie plunged through ice on a pond Tuesday morning in Missouri, firefighters say.

She immediately began swimming for her life in the frozen pond about 10 miles northeast of Columbia, according to the Boone County Fire Protection District.

A 911 caller told firefighters that Maggie was 75 feet from shore and barely could keep her head above water.

When firefighters arrived, the dog had been swimming for nearly 20 minutes. Maggie’s owner, who is a veterinarian, was trying to reach his dog with a flat bottomed boat, firefighters said.

A firefighter quickly put on an ice rescue suit and swam to the dog, pushing her above the cold water. Pictures show the large dog on top of a firefighter as he worked to keep her above water.

Another firefighter entered the water and helped push Maggie on top of the ice. Rescuers on the bank then pulled her to shore with a rope.

Maggie’s owner rushed her inside for a warm shower and evaluated the dog, officials said.

When firefighters called to check on Maggie’s condition in the afternoon, it appeared that she was doing well and “acting normal like nothing ever happened,” officials said.

“Ice in mid-Missouri is rarely, if ever, safe to walk on and poses a significant threat to people and animals that may fall through,” according to the news release. “If someone or an animal is stuck in the ice, call 911 immediately. Never attempt a rescue as most would be rescuers become victims themselves.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 2:39 PM with the headline "70-pound Labradoodle fights for life in icy pond as Missouri firefighters rush to her."