Men Rescue Dog From Icy Waters In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — Three men are being hailed as heroes for rescuing a dog from icy waters in Lake Whitney while they were working nearby earlier this week, according to the Hamden Animal Control.

“Heroes aren’t always noticeable, they’re not always in a ‘uniform’ making them easy to recognize,” the animal control wrote in a post on Facebook. “Often they blend in among us until it’s time for them to step up to the plate.”

Officials wrote that the situation began unfolding on Dec. 23 when a routine roaming dog call turned into a water rescue beneath the Davis Street Bridge on Lake Whitney.

“Charlie had gotten away from her dad at the dog park, traversed a golf course, and made her way across the frozen lake until falling through the ice,” according to the post. “These gentlemen were doing tree work nearby, and knew the dog was missing. They heard barking in the distance, and sprung into action when they found Charlie partially submerged in the lake. Using ropes, one of them crawled across the ice to get to her, falling in the water himself in the process.

“Charlie was dried off and covered with a blanket, and her dad arrived shortly after to rush her to the veterinary hospital.”

Officials said Charlie’s temperature was 94 degrees when she got to the hospital (normal is around 101.5 +/-) and she also suffered a minor injury to her paw, “likely from trying to cling to the ice as she struggled.” She was resting comfortably as of Tuesday morning, officials said.

“As we are constantly bombarded with tragedies in the news, it can sometimes seem as if humanity has gone off course,” the animal control wrote on Facebook. “Stories like these remind us that there is always hope.”

One of the rescuers, Adam Gigola, said on Facebook that the men work for Lewis Tree Service and were contracted by United Illuminating for a job when they heard the dog’s cries.

“We heard the cries from the dog and all just reacted and would do it again in a heartbeat,” Gigola wrote on Facebook.