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ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY — The Hager family is happy to have one of their pets alive after it fell into an icy pond on Feb. 2, 2007. Pictured above, left to right: front row – Allison and Barrett Hager hug Shotzy the dog; back row – Melissa Hager, Kathy Dubois, and Brent Hager.

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Dog rescued from icy pond by responsive neighbors
Article & Photo courtesy of the Taylorsville Times
By MICAH HENRY

The Hager family on Barrett’s Mountain is happy to have their dog, Shotzy, safe and sound following an incident on Friday, February 2, where the pup and another family canine, Midnight, fell into a neighbor’s ice-covered pond.

Brent and Melissa Hager were at work when the incident occurred. They noted that neighbor Kathy Dubois was at home when the dogs broke through the ice. Dubois called neighbor Bill Phillips, and then 911, and both ran down to the icy water to help. As Phillips provided “shore support,” Dubois attempted to slide a wooden plank towards the floundering dogs to help them gain a foothold. When this did not help, she waded out with a makeshift float, having to break the ice with her forearms to reach Shotzy, who was struggling to keep above the surface.

Dubois was able to bring Shotzy back to dry land. Shortly thereafter, Alexander County Rescue Squad members arrived on the scene, including Patti Gahagan, who serves as Alexander County Animal Control Director. Rescue Squad members worked to place a boat in the pond, which had no boat ramp. The boat trailer had to be position in place with a four-wheel drive truck, maneuvered by hand, and then the crew carefully slid the boat off the trailer down the bank into the pond.

Though the crews did their best, too much time had elapsed. Gahagan and others attempted to resuscitate Midnight, but the dog could not be revived.

Shotzy was given an injection by Gahagan (a vet) to prevent pneumonia.

Rescue Squad Captain Terry Foxx, who was part of the rescue effort, noted that animal rescue is a little-known part of the Squad’s services. This was the agency’s first animal rescue call this year.

Alexander Rescue Squad is part of N.C. Task Force 5 and assists Winston Rescue and Claremont Rescue with calls as needed. Foxx hopes to add more animal rescue equipment, such as a sling, to the Squad with grant money.

Dubois noted that the whole incident serves to underline the danger of playing on ice to her children. She and her husband, Daniel, have three children of the home (two others who are grown) and three dogs.

Melissa Hager agreed with Mrs. Dubois. “We might save a child out there because of this story,” she said. “We have felt so blessed to have the Dubois family as our neighbors. They moved here from Massachusetts last winter and have been a wonderful addition to our circle of friends and to our neighborhood. This event has solidified our love for them, especially Kathy.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE ALEXANDER COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD

*Alexander Rescue Squad ran over 2500 calls during 2007. This is all inclusive for rescue, first responder, and backup medical calls.

*Squad members trained over 5,600 hours in 2007 to be prepared to serve Alexander County's citizens.

*Alexander Rescue Squad won the 2007 North Carolina Association of Rescue Squads & EMS - Hiram Brinson Memorial Award in Memory of Craig Allan Helms for its dedication to the field of rescue and EMS.

*Alexander Rescue Squad won the 2007 NC Rescue Competition.

*Alexander Rescue Squad established a daytime position to provide more adequate coverage during peak hours.

*Alexander Rescue Squad took delivery in late 2007 of animal rescue equipment. The Squad received this equipment from a non-matching grant. Training on this equipment and other animal related training will be held in 2008.

*Alexander Rescue Squad's ATV team won the October 2007 Backboard Award given by Med Center Air for their careful efforts in extracting 3 victims from remote mountainous terrian in northern & western Alexander County following two separate accidents involving three individuals riding four wheelers. This award came as a result of two separate calls in two different areas of the county on the same day.