I was walking my dogs on there usual walk yesterday down the side of the chesterfield canal on land i have permission on. Vixen was on the lead with a coat on, Fern was off the lead walking to heal (as she always does) and Mojito was also off the lead walking at my side nibbling on ferns ears as she always does. Everything was fine and i noticed a lady walking along the towpath on the other side of the canal walking towards us. She was walking a boxer. When we got level i heard her calling puppy and obviously thought she was shouting her puppy... She wasn't, she was shouting Mojito i turned around to see Mojito half way across the canal and the stupid woman was still shouting her!!!!. I shouted to the woman to shut up. Mojito took one more step and fell through the ice. I just threw my jacket on the floor and went straight in to get her.
As soon as i entered the water it was a massive shock how cold it was, i broke the ice with my stick and got to Mojito in what seemed like seconds, she was struggling to get back on the ice. On my way back i thought my heart was going to burst through my chest it was beating that fast. I got out and shouted to the woman who was now crying what she thought she was doing shouting my pup across the ice. She said her dog was walking on it yesterday and she thought it would be ok. I told the woman to get out of my sight or i wouldnt be responsible for my actions.. I was absolutely fuming. I took the jacket off vixen and put it on mojito i also wraped my dry jacket around her, put her over my shoulder and began jogging the mile back to the car. I was absoulutely frozen to the bone, the water had come up to my ribs. On the way back to the car i had to stop a couple of times as the pain was too bad. When i got back to the car i dried mojito the best i could with an old towel i keep in the car. I drove the 3 miles back home put, vix and fern in the run and put mojito in her cage next to the radiator and gave her a warm feed. I got changed and sat down with a cup of coffee. Then it hit me how stupid i had been. Even though i knew the canal wasn't deep, i shouldn't have gone in to save Mojito. It was very selfish of me. I know if i hadn't have gone in Mojito would have certainly died she would never have got out of the canal on her own.
Fortunately Mojito is fine this morning, but it looks like i've caught a chill.. It's knocked me for six to be honest, i was in shock last night and couldn't think about anything else.
I just wanted to put this up to highlight the dangers, i've been on the same walk for the past week without any of my dogs going anywhere near the canal. They do as there told, however it just goes to show how easy it is for disasters to strike. I don't know what that stupid woman was thinking i know her actions could have well cost me my life as well as my dogs...
As soon as i entered the water it was a massive shock how cold it was, i broke the ice with my stick and got to Mojito in what seemed like seconds, she was struggling to get back on the ice. On my way back i thought my heart was going to burst through my chest it was beating that fast. I got out and shouted to the woman who was now crying what she thought she was doing shouting my pup across the ice. She said her dog was walking on it yesterday and she thought it would be ok. I told the woman to get out of my sight or i wouldnt be responsible for my actions.. I was absolutely fuming. I took the jacket off vixen and put it on mojito i also wraped my dry jacket around her, put her over my shoulder and began jogging the mile back to the car. I was absoulutely frozen to the bone, the water had come up to my ribs. On the way back to the car i had to stop a couple of times as the pain was too bad. When i got back to the car i dried mojito the best i could with an old towel i keep in the car. I drove the 3 miles back home put, vix and fern in the run and put mojito in her cage next to the radiator and gave her a warm feed. I got changed and sat down with a cup of coffee. Then it hit me how stupid i had been. Even though i knew the canal wasn't deep, i shouldn't have gone in to save Mojito. It was very selfish of me. I know if i hadn't have gone in Mojito would have certainly died she would never have got out of the canal on her own.
Fortunately Mojito is fine this morning, but it looks like i've caught a chill.. It's knocked me for six to be honest, i was in shock last night and couldn't think about anything else.
I just wanted to put this up to highlight the dangers, i've been on the same walk for the past week without any of my dogs going anywhere near the canal. They do as there told, however it just goes to show how easy it is for disasters to strike. I don't know what that stupid woman was thinking i know her actions could have well cost me my life as well as my dogs...
