Heroic police officer rescues dog that fell through thin ice into frozen Massachusetts lake: 'I'm a dog guy'
A Massachusetts police officer who heroically rescued a dog from a frozen lake is now being honored by the department.
Littleton Police revealed in a statement how they responded to Long Lake Beach at around 10.44 am on Tuesday, December 17, after the pooch fell into the icy body of water just off the dock.
Within two minutes of the 911 call, Officer Brian Casey arrived at the scene and located Tuukka, an Australian shepherd.
Casey used his presence of mind and created an old fashioned lasso with equipment he found nearby, before successfully retrieving Tuukla and bringing him to safety. The officer has since been commended for his actions by several of his colleagues.
"It was extremely fortunate that Officer Casey was able to get to the scene as quickly as he did and help Tuukka to safety," Chief Matthew Pinard said. "This is a good chance to remind everyone, whether they have two legs or four, that it's still too early in the season to be going out on the ice."
When asked by the Boston Herald why he felt so compelled to save the pooch, Casey simply told the outlet "I'm a dog guy."
According to Casey, he would have jumped into the frozen lake if the make-shift lasso did not work. If the lasso didn't work to pull out Tuukka from the chilly water, Casey said he was "going in".
Casey told the Boston Herald, "It took me a couple of tries, but I was able to get him." He recalled how a group of bystanders gathered at the scene with blankets for Tuukka.
"I've been here over 10 years now, and the community is just amazing," he added.
Meanwhile, Pinard explained to the outlet how Tuukka was being walked by a teenager when they reached a snow-covered grassy area. "The ice isn't safe underneath the snow, and the dog got in trouble," Pinard said.
Fortunately, when Casey came to Tuukka's rescue, he wasn't in the icy water for too long. "An outstanding performance by him today," Pinard remarked to the Boston Herald.