Edmonton fire crews warn to keep pets leashed near river after rescuing dog

“Keep pets leashed near the river!” That’s the warning from Edmonton Fire Rescue Services after they had to rescue a dog from the North Saskatchewan River on Wednesday.

EFRS says just before 7 a.m. on Apr. 22, they were notified that a dog was drifting down the river on an ice float near the Tawatinâ Bridge.

Fire crews responded and were able to locate the dog, and launched rapid deployment crafts (RDCs) to try to rescue the dog.

By 8:09 a.m., crews were able to retrieve the dog after some coaxing and reached land at the Capilano Bridge. Following this, the dog was taken to the City of Edmonton’s Animal Care & Control team.

EFRS says the North Saskatchewan River is dangerous year-round, and they strongly urge Edmontonians to keep their pets leashed near embankments and on low-lying trails near river access points.

“If a pet becomes unreachable down an embankment or falls through ice, call 9-1-1. Do not attempt to rescue them yourself,” read the EFRS warning.

Additionally, more information on pet safety can be found online via the City of Edmonton’s ice safety page and pet safety page.