Current Events > Canadian leaps into ice-cold water to controversially rescue dog from drowning.

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On April 8, Duncan McIver was at a park in Alberta with his French bulldog, Cosmo, when the pup suddenly broke through thin ice at a pond and was struggling to keep its head above water.

“As soon as the ice broke, I just went right in,” McIver told CTV Edmonton, still shivering from the freezing cold water. “I think most people would do the same for their dog.”

The news station was at the park, coincidentally, for a story about ice safety. Officials said there has been a dramatic increase in ice-rescue calls recently, with three calls coming in since April 6 alone.

Footage of McIver's brave rescue attempt is being circulated throughout social media. Once he dieves into the icy pond to save Cosmo, McIver is able to get to the dog and mount it onto a strip of concrete. CTV Edmonton reporter Angela Jung then calls 911 to get help for both owner and dog.

McIver plunges through the ice once more before ultimately making it ashore. He was able to save his dog all on his own.

“It’s a split-second thing,” McIver told Jung just moments after emerging from the cold pond. “You’re not just going to let him die, right?”



Reactions to the video were mixed. While most users commended McIver for his bravery, others thought the dog owner put himself at risk.

"He was an idiot. His life was worth a lot more than the life of a dog and what he did put him in extreme danger," wrote one user. "I'm betting the next time something like this happens the end result will be a dead owner."

Still, other dog owners felt McIver did the right thing.

One user commented: "Did it once, about 30 years ago in Scotland, though I had to crawl about 30 meters out on the ice to pull out a German Shepherd that day."

"I agree it would just be an instinct to help the dog," wrote another. "Just think how easy it would have been to keep the dog on a lead though so that there would no chance of it falling in in the first place. So really, he chose to put his dog at risk -- so of course he should jump in and save it!"

Full ARticle: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/animal-rights/dog-owner-saves-pup-frozen-river-falls-river-himself

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C868v2HVoAAqhVW.jpg

"Lead" is Canadian for "leash" BTW.
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