Westerly, Rhode Island — A yellow Labrador named Phoenix was rescued by firefighters after he wandered onto thin ice covering a pond on New Year’s Day and fell through, according to the Misquamicut Fire Department.
The department said volunteer firefighters and other emergency officials were dispatched early Thursday morning for a water rescue. Once on scene, firefighters reported that Phoenix was struggling and unable to move to shore in the slushy, icy water.
Members from the Misquamicut and Watch Hill fire departments donned ice rescue suits, designed to help protect the body from frigid temperatures, and entered the pond to pull Phoenix to safety. The departments said Phoenix was successfully rescued.
The National Weather Service reported it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit around 9 a.m. Thursday, with the wind chill dropping the temperature to 14 degrees, according to the fire department’s account. Firefighters were evaluated for possible hypothermia, but the departments said they did not require treatment.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the fire departments described the incident as “a successful first call of 2026.” They said Phoenix was declared free of injuries, and deputy chief Steve Howard said he checked in with Phoenix’s owner later Thursday.
Howard said, “It was the chillest dog I’ve ever seen in my life.” He added that the dog “never made a sound” and was “pretty chill.”
Howard also said the dog received “a little bit of extra food last night” and that Phoenix “took a little nap.”
The incident was described as a reminder to treat all ice as potentially dangerous, particularly over bodies of water. The fire department said, “No ice is ever safe,” adding that while firefighters train extensively for cold-water and ice rescues, “these situations are extremely dangerous.”