ICE DOG
For today's lockdown exercise I decided to walk down to The Shore and see if there was still much snow and ice around there. On my way I heard the sirens of the emergency services coming my way and seconds later two fire engines swooshed past, and I hoped it wouldn't be anything too serious. When I got near The Shore I could see a crowd assembled at the corner and along the bridge, with the fire engines parked by the river. So I walked round to the opposite bank to see what the fuss was about.
There was a wee dog scampering about on the thin layer of ice that covered most of the river. A fireman had lowered a hammock-like device and was throwing bits of food down to try and tempt the agitated looking canine in to be lifted up. He did get him once, but the dog immediately fell out again, fortunately without breaking the ice. And after that there was no way he was going to get back in!
The above photo was taken during the almost-rescue, with the creamy coloured dog in the red rescue device. Above, beside the lamppost, is the concerned owner in grey scarf and blue sweater.
This wider shot shows the fire engines attending and, most importantly, the Fire Service Water Rescue Unit on the left. They would be the guys to provide the happy ending to the story. By this time there was a sizeable audience along the wall of the bridge (out of shot to the right) and on the bank where I was. We're all a bit desperate for entertainment in lockdown, and this was as good as it gets right now.
I started taking a video when the Water Rescue pairing went into action, not knowing how long it might take or what the outcome would be. Apologies for the poor quality, as I only had my phone with me, and there was a bit of snow, a bit of sun flare, and wobbly concentration on my part when I was looking directly at the action more than I was my screen. But it's good enough to give some idea of how events panned out. Sound up for the spontaneous crowd noise when the deed is done, when the dog is finally grabbed, and the touching handover to relieved pet owner.
