Rescuers save dog trapped on icy Lake Lemon

Rescuers who saved a dog trapped for more than 10 hours in the icy waters of Lake Lemon are now trying to find the lucky dog's owner.

A nearby resident heard the dog's distressed howling about 2 a.m. Tuesday but did not notify the Monroe County Sheriff's Department until 10 hours later.

Animal Management officer Rebecca Brown arrived to find the dog stuck in ice and mud about 200 feet from the shoreline. The dog was partially submerged in the water and not moving.

But when the dog began to move and yelp, Brown and several other rescuers, including volunteer firefighters, began their rescue effort.

They borrowed a neighbor's boat and used it to reach the dog, which was marooned in about two feet of water covered by ice, with the dog apparently stuck in a layer of thick mud.

Using the boat to make their way across the water, the crew took turns using an ax to break the ice as they moved toward the dog, which perked up and moved toward his approaching rescuers.

Once rescuers got close, Brown pulled the dog into the boat and wrapped the shivering animal with a blanket.

The dog was taken to a local veterinarian, where he continues to be treated for hypothermia.

The dog, a mostly brown chow/shepherd mix, was wearing a black collar with no tags or a microchip, so the sheriff's department is asking for anyone who might know the dog's owner to contact police.