WINSLOW, Maine — A dog is recovering after it went into the Kennebec River Friday morning. The dog’s owner says she was walking her unleashed Irish setter in Winslow when it went after some ducks.
The dog, whose name is Keeli, ended up in the water and couldn’t get back out. She could only get her front two legs on ice chunks. The dog was in the water for nearly 35 minutes about 60 feet from shore, before she was rescued.
Wardens say this incident serves as a warning for dog owners. Maine Game Warden Rock Ouellette says, “Dogs this time of year, obviously they get close to thin ice, they get close to problems where they’re going to put themselves in danger.”
The change in temperature from day to night causes the ice to form a crust, which is not stable and very dangerous to walk on.
Keeli was taken to the vet and warmed up.
She’s expected to be OK.