Rhode Island firefighters rescue a yellow Lab from an icy pond on New Year’s Day
Jan 2, 2026, 10:16 AM
In this photo provided by the Misquamicut Fire Department, Phoenix, a yellow Labrador, is rescued by firefighters in Westerly, R.I., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, after falling through thin ice on a pond. (Misquamicut Fire Department via AP)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(Misquamicut Fire Department via AP)
WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) — A yellow Labrador out for a walk with his owner in Rhode Island had to be rescued by firefighters on New Year’s Day after he wandered onto a thin layer of ice covering a pond and fell through the center.
According to the Misquamicut Fire Department, volunteer firefighters and other emergency officials were dispatched early Thursday morning for a water rescue. Once on scene, firefighters saw a dog named Phoenix struggling and unable to move to shore in the slushy, icy water.
Members from both the Misquamicut and Watch Hill fire departments donned ice rescue suits, which help protect the body from frigid temperatures, to enter the pond and successfully rescue Phoenix. The National Weather Service reported it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit around 9 a.m. on Thursday, with the wind chill dropping the temperature to 14 degrees.
“It was the chillest dog I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Steve Howard, deputy chief of the Misquamicut Fire Department, in a phone interview on Friday. “The dog never made a sound. He was pretty chill.”
While the firefighters were evaluated for possible hypothermia, they did not require treatment. The fire departments described the incident as “a successful first call of 2026,” in a statement posted on Facebook.
Phoenix was also declared free of injuries, but Howard made sure to check in with his owner later Thursday.
“He got a little bit of extra food last night,” Howard said. “And he took a little nap.”
The incident served as a reminder to treat all ice as potentially dangerous, particularly over bodies of water, the fire department warned.
“No ice is ever safe. Our firefighters train extensively for cold water and ice rescues, but these situations are extremely dangerous,” the fire department said.
