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Dog Swept Away

BarbedWire

By BarbedWire,
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BarbedWire

BarbedWire

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We all like to think we would try to rescue our dogs if they were in danger but would you risk your own life to save your dog?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-14/man-nearly-dies-trying-to-save-dog-from-flooded-melbourne-creek/7843240

ictorian weather: Man 'nearly dies' trying to save dog from flooded Melbourne creek

774 ABC Melbourne By Patrick Wright

Updated about an hour ago

Dog rescued from creek in Melbourne

A Melbourne man who was swept a kilometre down a flooded creek while trying to save his dog from drowning says he is lucky to be alive.

Heavy rain has been falling across Victoria in the last week, causing headaches for residents across the state.

Areas in central and western Victoria have been flooded, including Hamilton, where people were evacuated amid concerns a temporary levee would burst.

Peter from Pascoe Vale, in Melbourne's inner north, said he had been out walking his dogs on Tuesday evening when one of them, Mia, jumped into the flooded Moonee Ponds Creek for a swim.

"As usual, I was just walking the dogs along the creek. They were frolicking along and then Mia went down to have a swim and the water just grabbed her and took her," he told 774 ABC Melbourne.

"She was trying to get out but she couldn't. I realised she was going to die, so I tried to get her."

Peter, who has not provided his surname, was swept about a kilometre down the creek before he managed to stand up just before the Pascoe Vale Road bridge, where he was seen by a passerby who called emergency services.

He was eventually rescued by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) and taken to hospital with hypothermia.

"I usually live in thongs, but yesterday I wore some runners and I had some grip on the floor of the viaduct," he said.

"I managed to keep my footing for about 40 minutes until [the MFB] came. They were wonderful."

Would he do it again? 'Definitely'

MFB officers tied a rope to a tree and told Peter to concentrate on the water that was coming at him, and not anything else.

"Look, we would have died. If I had worn thongs, and if the emergency services didn't turn up when they did, it would have been a disaster. I have no doubt of that," he said.

"[They] threw me a rope and I managed to swing around ... and I threw the dog up the bank at that stage."

Peter said Mia, who was taken home by the MFB, was in a little bit of shock, while his other dog — which was left on the creek bank during the ordeal — was lost in the confusion and ended up in a shelter.

He said, despite the scare, he learned a valuable lesson.

"I know now [not to] go anywhere near those sort of areas," he said.

But would he jump in again to save one of his dogs? "Definitely."

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Two Best Dogs!

Two Best Dogs!

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Maybe not every situation but I'd give it a chance

Absolutely poleaxed he let his dogs near the drains and creek though. They have warning signs everywhere and are the kind where it's obvious deep water = fast current. A lesson hard learnt.

Edited by Thistle the dog
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BarbedWire

BarbedWire

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I tend to agree with you Teebs. My kids are grown and I don't have a husband but I do have grandchildren and another dog. (The guy in the article had another dog that was picked up and taken to a shelter.) Also I can't swim and I stay away from water if at all possible. If my dog was in this situation I would be running for help and screaming my lungs out (sadly asking someone else to risk his/her life for my dog) but not going in myself.

eta But if my dog was being attacked by another dog I would be in there trying to rescue her.

Edited by sarspididious
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Mrs Rusty Bucket

Mrs Rusty Bucket

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Urk.

There's been cases where it's been another human that needed rescuing and the would be rescuer drowns but the rescuee manages to get out.

I think it would be a matter of what could I live with.

I haven't got any dependents - so I'd try to save my dog. Mind you she's had a couple of bad experiences in water... so she's very careful about swimming pools and creeks now. She doesn't mind a paddle at the beach - which freaks me out if it's a rippy beach. I keep her on lead or away from the water there. The beaches we normally go to - don't have rips.

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tdierikx

tdierikx

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When I was a teen, our dog decided to jump into the flooding (and raging) creek to chase a duck... of course, I jumped in to get him out when he found he couldn't navigate and was heading for the barbed wire fence...

Then again, I'm a very strong swimmer - used to compete at a high level in my younger days.

T.

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Papillon Kisses

Papillon Kisses

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I would hate to be in that situation, I dont know what I would do. I'm glad they all got out of it OK, what an ordeal!

Same. It's not that I wouldn't want to save my dog, it's more that I don't know whether fight, flight or freeze would kick in. Some people can perform amazing feats when loved ones' lives are at risk (lifting cars!) but others go into shock.

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poochmad

poochmad

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Definitely. No doubt about it.

Hubby and I have talked about what to do if there is ever a fire (the four of us sleep upstairs) and we both agree the dogs would be the highest priority.

Some people would say: it's just a dog, but I can't imagine my life without either of them.

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