Man Rescues Puppy Dog Loc.ked In A Cage Found Floating In Freezing Lake
When Bryant Fritz went fishing in early November, he didn’t expect his biggest catch of the day to be a dog. Bryant Fritz who teaches middle school science at Next Generation School in Champaign, was preparing to fish Saturday when he found Dory, a black and white female puppy, sᴜʙᴍᴇʀɢᴇᴅ in rising water and ᴛʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ inside of a dog crate in Kaufman Lake.
Fritz first spotted the dog trapped in a crate that had been dumped into Kaufman Lake in Champaign, Illinois. Only the dog’s head was visible above the freezing water, while the rest of her body remained submerged. As a lifelong dog lover, Fritz knew immediately what he had to do. Without hesitation, he shed several layers of clothing and waded into the frigid lake to save the puppy.
“It was about 3 p.m. when I saw the dog in the lake,” Fritz recalled. “Part of the crate was sticking out of the water. The puppy’s head was still above water, but the rest of her body was submerged.” He emphasized that there was no doubt or hesitation in his mind, rescuing the dog was the only thing he could think of.
Fritz recalled, “It was a cool and wintry day. I took off a couple of layers of sweaters and immediately waded into the water to reach the crate. I believe I waded between 15 and 20 yards into the lake before reaching the puppy. It was clear she had been in the cold water for several hours.”
Once he pulled her from the water and dragged the crate to shore, Fritz realized the puppy faced even more serious medical issues. “When I got her up to the shore, there was blood everywhere. She was missing large patches of fur on her back, and the bottoms of her paws were badly damaged. She probably weighed only 15 to 20 pounds, definitely a puppy. She was shaking violently, her eyes were shut, and she looked completely miserable.”
Fritz immediately called the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital to alert them that he was bringing in a dog in desperate need of treatment for hypothermia, visible wounds, and possibly other injuries. On the way, he stopped at his home to wrap the puppy in a blanket, trying to get her as warm as possible before reaching the hospital.
After Champaign County Animal Control takes custody of the pooch, Fritz hopes that he will be allowed to adopt her and give her a loving home. He said:” As I filled out the paperwork when I brought her to the Hᴏsᴘɪᴛᴀʟ, I realized I wanted this dog to be a part of my life. I and my girlfriend Krystal decided if all went well, we would name her Dory after the Disney character voiced by Ellen DeGeneres in Finding Nemo. And like Dory, ‘she didn’t quit in that water.’
Once on shore, Fritz quickly wrapped the puppy in a blanket to warm her as best as possible and called the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The staff acted swiftly, treating her for hypothermia, cleaning her wounds, and administering antibiotics and pain medication. Veterinarian Chris Beuoy noted that the puppy responded well to treatment, though additional care for her injuries was necessary to ensure a full recovery.
