DUSHORE, Pa. -- A dog is safe at home after being rescued from a creek in Sullivan County.
There were many factors that made the rescue of Lilac, a boxer/husky mix, a scary one, including the cold temperatures, the snow, and the fact that Lilac is 13 years old. But thanks to Dushore Fire and Rescue, Lilac is safe and warm.
"The water was near freezing, and clearly the dog had been there for some time," said Dushore Assistant Fire Chief John Yonkin.
Lilac is resting at home now, with a cozy blanket and the heat turned up. The 13-year-old boxer/husky mix found herself a little lost Wednesday morning.
"It was very nice to see everyone react and work together to help this dog out," said Dushore Mayor Marybeth Minier.
Dushore Fire and Rescue responded to Marsh Creek along West Main Street, someone just passing by spotted the dog down below.
Once she was pulled up, Lilac was taken to the Towanda Creek Animal Hospital right away.
"There were no broken bones, but she was severely hypothermic. She was treated for that, and I understand she was released just a little while ago," said Yonkin.
Marybeth Minier is the mayor of Dushore and owns Marybeth's West Side Deli, right along the creek where this happened.
"I came into town. By the time I got into town, the ambulance was here, and the fire company was here," said Minier.
Volunteer firefighters say from the time they got on scene to the time Lilac was rescued, only about 10 minutes had passed.
"It's tough with volunteers, you have few volunteers during the day. I probably only have four or five people, so to have a quick response, getting the animal out of the water was very positive for us," said Yonkin.
Borough officials say this is a good reminder for anyone with pets, especially in the winter.
"Just make sure you know where your dogs are and your animals. I know sometimes they get loose. Talk to your neighbors and see if your animal has been out. Make sure they're there. Everyone felt very sad and very heavy-hearted for the dog once we saw it lying in the creek," Minier said.
Lilac's owners tell Newswatch 16 they aren't sure exactly when Lilac got out, or how long she would have been in the creek, but they are thankful for the first responders.
One of those first responders says Lilac was by far the most cooperative patient he has had in two decades of working in EMS.