Hamilton County Dog Warden Sgt. Daniel Conners said water rescues happen almost every time the river rises. Temperatures dropped to the single digits Thursday night, making Friday’s rescue a matter of life and death.
“If that dog would have been out there much longer it probably would have been fatal,” Conners said.
A neighbor told WCPO she heard a dog barking Thursday night. When she got up Friday morning, she realized the noise was coming from a dog stranded in the floodwaters.
Capt. Rick Clements of the Cincinnati Fire Department said the high waters made it difficult to reach the dog on foot.
“Due to the high water, they couldn't get to him. He was trapped on a log,” Clements said.
Crews drove an inflatable motor boat towards the trapped dog, who then jumped off the log and into the water out of fear.
Conners said the dog jumped back on the log once he realized how cold the water was.
“We had to continuously coax the boat up to the dog to get the dog in the boat,” Conners said.
"Frosty" is resting and recovering with the SPCA until he is either claimed or adopted.
Now, Frosty is recovering at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"The dog is pretty worn out. The SPCA took him just to make sure everything is okay with the dog,” Conners said.
Frosty will be kept at the SPCA for the next four days in case he has an owner who is looking for him. Neighbors said they believe he’s a stray.
If no one claims him, the SPCA will start the adoption process.
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