Near drowning today
I almost lost a dog today. Ruby went through the ice on the lake and couldn't get up. She was about 25 meters from land, and the lake is a muddy forest lake with no real bottom. The ice was thick but not thick enough.
I got in to save her, went through the ice myself straight away but managed to swim out to save her (breaking the ice the whole way so she could swim back). Luckily I was not alone, my neighbour and a friend were with me. Without them we would both have drowned. So cold. The ice was hard, cold, heavy. And swimming with my clothes (and shoes) on was NOT easy. But I couldn't watch my Ruby drown. She was screaming with fear. Somehow I made it all the way out...it felt like it took ages, the ice was heavy. Ruby was a star, she never gave up. I had a rope tied to my dog-walking-belt but it wasn't long enough, my friends had to let go because I refused to give up. Thanks to the dog-walking-belt my friends could drag me out of the water once I got back to shore. because by then I was so cold and tired I had no energy.
A man offered to drive me home after I got out of the water but he flatly refused to take Ruby so I declined and we walked home through the forest. My friend carried Ruby (she was too weak to walk), wrapped in my coat and scarf.
Now we are home, Ruby is nearly dry and has a temp of 37 so she is fine. I am still in shock and I can't feel my fingertips, my hands and arms are swollen and sore from the ice and I have cuts and bruses everywhere. But I have my Ruby, my little Olympic swimmer. Who will never ever EVER be let off the lead again!!!!
I got in to save her, went through the ice myself straight away but managed to swim out to save her (breaking the ice the whole way so she could swim back). Luckily I was not alone, my neighbour and a friend were with me. Without them we would both have drowned. So cold. The ice was hard, cold, heavy. And swimming with my clothes (and shoes) on was NOT easy. But I couldn't watch my Ruby drown. She was screaming with fear. Somehow I made it all the way out...it felt like it took ages, the ice was heavy. Ruby was a star, she never gave up. I had a rope tied to my dog-walking-belt but it wasn't long enough, my friends had to let go because I refused to give up. Thanks to the dog-walking-belt my friends could drag me out of the water once I got back to shore. because by then I was so cold and tired I had no energy.
A man offered to drive me home after I got out of the water but he flatly refused to take Ruby so I declined and we walked home through the forest. My friend carried Ruby (she was too weak to walk), wrapped in my coat and scarf.
Now we are home, Ruby is nearly dry and has a temp of 37 so she is fine. I am still in shock and I can't feel my fingertips, my hands and arms are swollen and sore from the ice and I have cuts and bruses everywhere. But I have my Ruby, my little Olympic swimmer. Who will never ever EVER be let off the lead again!!!!