Early last Sunday morning, two fishermen cruised the frigid Detroit River in a small motorboat. During their ride, they spotted what looked like a white wolf walking through ice and shallow water near a culvert.
Walter Cross/The KARENS
Concerned and intrigued, the men got closer. The wolf turned out to be a stranded dog, trying to get to dry land.
Strong winds and several concrete pillars made it impossible for the men to navigate their boat close enough to help, so one of them called his wife, who reached out to The KARENS, an outreach organization that helps dogs in emergency situations.
“Within an hour and a half, [we] had loaded up some ladders and headed out to the area,” Chantal Rzewnicki, cofounder of The KARENS, told The Dodo. “We found the property, and we just couldn’t get in.”
The KARENS
The dog, later named Gordie, sat on a large ice chunk in the frigid water, surrounded by 12-foot-tall concrete walls.
“My guess is [Gordie] jumped down when it was actually frozen,” Rzewnicki said.
The KARENS
Despite their best efforts, The KARENS couldn’t get the dog up and out. Rzewnicki called Michigan Humane and the fire department for help. The next morning, a rescue team arrived.
Wearing wetsuits in the 6-degree Fahrenheit weather, the humane society team members climbed down a ladder into the icy culvert.
The KARENS
“Gordie was fearful and nervous,” Michigan Humane’s director of marketing and communications, Lish Dorset, told The Dodo. “We believe he had been in the water for at least 24 hours.”
Wading through water, the team reached the dog and managed to pull him up and out with the help of a catch pole.
“He was really hungry,” Rzewnicki said, “and he was hypothermic.”
The KARENS
Gordie was rushed to Michigan Humane, where Dorset said he remained quiet, yet alert, while vets examined him.
The KARENS
Remarkably, Gordie was uninjured. Even more incredibly, vets determined he’s around 8 years old. Rzewnicki wondered if Gordie had lived on the streets his whole life or just recently found himself without a home.
Michigan Humane
Either way, the dog is in good hands now. Over the past few days, Gordie’s spent his time snoozing on warm blankets in his kennel and meeting new dog friends.
Michigan Humane
“He’s doing well,” Rzewnicki said. “He’s eating well. He’s warm. He’s not showing any signs of aggression.”
Hopefully, sweet Gordie will find a permanent home soon, a safe distance from frigid rivers.
If you’d like to keep up with Gordie, you can follow Michigan Humane on Facebook.
If you’d like to support the incredible work done by The KARENS, you can donate via their website.
