Man falls through ice while trying to rescue neighbor’s dog, Wisconsin officials say

A man’s attempt to save his neighbor’s dog landed them both in freezing water and in need of rescue, Wisconsin officials say.

Deputes and firefighters responded to a home in the village of Raymond — roughly 20 miles south of downtown Milwaukee — after receiving a 911 call stating that a 58-year-old man fell through the ice on a frozen pond near the residence, the Racine County Sheriff’s Office said in a March 5 news release.

The life-or-death situation started with two dogs chasing geese onto the pond, according to the release. The ice broke beneath them and the owner of the dogs called a neighbor over for help.

When the neighbor arrived, he walked out onto the ice to try to reach the dogs but also fell through.

First responders made it to the scene around 2:30 p.m., according to the release.

The man had been in the freezing pond for 10 minutes, the sheriff’s office said. One of the dogs was able to climb out of the cold water but the man was trapped, hanging onto the edge of the ice while also keeping the other dog, named “Bo,” afloat.

Rescuers threw a rope out to him but he “was barely able to grasp the rope as his strength was fading,” the sheriff’s office said.

As first responders pulled him closer to shore, members of the sheriff’s office dive team put on water rescue equipment and lifted him and Bo onto dry land, the release said.

The man was taken to a hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

“It is believed the male was within minutes of going underwater,” the sheriff’s office said. “Today’s incident showed how invaluable the life safety equipment carried by deputies can truly be.”

Bo was in good spirits after sitting inside a warm vehicle for a little while.

“After warming up, Bo appeared to be OK as he was licking deputies and wanting their attention,” the release said.

This story was originally published March 6, 2023 at 4:14 PM with the headline "Man falls through ice while trying to rescue neighbor’s dog, Wisconsin officials say."