Dog wanders onto icy Wonder Lake, is rescued by fire department

Wonder Lake Fire Chief Mike Weber was at the lake Tuesday morning when he saw a Facebook post – there was a dog out on the not-so-frozen lake.

“I responded to the post on the page. I can’t leave a dog out there. The lake has open spots,” Weber said shortly after the dog was herded back onto shore and to its owner’s waiting arms.

By the time other Wonder Lake residents saw the dog and called either 911 or the department’s non-emergency number, Weber had already dispatched the department’s water rescue team to go pick up the pooch.

“It was in the middle of the lake. It was a German shepherd who loves chasing geese. That flock got its exercise today, too,” Weber said.

Two firefighters suited up in wetsuits, and another two in dry suits, and went out in the department’s airboat.

“Two were ready to jump in the water and two were ready to jump out on land in case it got onto the shore,” Weber said.

At one point, the firefighters were able to herd the dog onto one of the beaches, and got close enough to grab the dog’s collar – before she slipped out of the collar and ran back out onto the ice.

With the collar in hand, however, they now had a name for the dog and a phone number for the owner.

Taylor Gureczny had no idea that her 16-month-old dog, Oaklee, was not in the back yard, where she’d left the dog while doing college homework.

“She is still very much a baby,” Gureczny said. “I didn’t realize she was out until I got a call from animal control. We had her in the back yard, with the nice weather she can be out there.”

Tuesday was the second time Oaklee had made her escape from the yard, the previous time being Monday. In that instance, Gureczny thought Oaklee was just trying to join her brother and his dog for their walk.

Back at the lake, the officers watched as Oaklee fell through the ice – only 3 or 4 inches thick – but managing to pull herself back out.

Finally, they were able to herd Oaklee onto one of the beaches. A firefighter slipped a loop mounted to a pole around her neck.

“We didn’t need it,” Weber said. “She was just afraid of people coming at her.”

A neighbor brought over a plate of ham to help keep Oaklee from running again. “She gobbled it right up,” Weber said.

That was about when Gureczny was finally able to catch up with the firefighters and Oaklee. “She was sitting there on the beach with two fire [fighters]. They were soaked and sweaty and she wasn’t on the ice.”

Sally Carson was one of the neighbors who called 911 when she saw the dog on the lake, and watched the rescue from her window.

“They were wonderful, so patient and so intent on getting that dog. They did a fantastic job,” Carson said.

Gureczny said Oaklee won’t be left to her own devices until they can determine where she is getting out of her fenced-in yard.

“She will get walks on a leash,” Gureczny said.