Patrolman Michael Poon of the Sparta Township Police Department rescued a single dog that had fallen through the ice on frozen Lake Mohawk on Wednesday, the department said.

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The department’s account described a brief but tense response involving two people on scene. Officers moved to the lake’s edge after reports of an animal stranded on the ice; Poon approached a break in the frozen surface and crawled forward to reach the dog. According to the department, the animal panicked and swam away from the officer toward the far edge of the broken ice, prompting a rapid change in tactics.

“You comfortable going in Mike?” an officer asked, according to the department’s description of events, as colleagues coordinated at the shoreline. In the moments that followed, the department said, Poon entered the water, grasped the dog and helped it out of the water and back onto solid ice. The rescue concluded without reported injuries to Patrolman Poon, and the dog was returned to officers for care at the scene.

Officials emphasized that the incident highlighted the risks posed by frozen bodies of water. Dogs that wander onto ice risk falling through thin or unstable ice into freezing water, leading to hypothermia, drowning, frostbite and organ damage such as heart or kidney failure. Freezing water causes blood vessels to constrict, impairing circulation and reducing a struggling animal’s ability to swim, officials said.

Sparta Township police described the action as swift but controlled. Two responders secured the perimeter, assessed the broken ice and coordinated the extraction. After the dog swam away from the initial point of contact, Poon entered the water and made physical contact with the animal, then guided it back to stable ground where on-scene personnel took over care.

The department provided the account and confirmed that the animal was recovered without further incident. The report did not identify the dog’s owner or provide a breed; it said only that one dog had been rescued and taken into the care of officers immediately after the extraction.

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Training and preparation for hazardous animal rescues informed the response, the department noted. First responders and animal control personnel often attend specialized programs to prepare for operations on ice and water. For example, Code 3 Associates offers the DROP course, a five-day (40-hour) program that covers safe handling and rescue of animals in emergencies and addresses water and ice operations. Such courses teach techniques and precautions responders use when conditions are hazardous.

The incident at Lake Mohawk was resolved quickly, according to the department, and closed what had been a precarious situation on the frozen surface. Officers on scene secured the animal and left the area after ensuring there were no immediate health concerns for the rescuer. The department’s narrative underscored both the dangers of frozen waterways and the rapid actions sometimes required when an animal becomes trapped on the ice.

In its statement, Sparta Township Police said the dog was under the care of officers at the scene following the rescue and that there were no reported health risks to Patrolman Poon. The department’s response and Poon’s actions concluded the episode on Lake Mohawk shortly after it began.

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Original reporting: view the original article.