Two dogs were part of a nerve-wracking rescue along the Maumee River

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The temperatures have been on a bit of a roller coaster lately, creating dangerous conditions on the ice. There was a rescue on the river this week involving two dogs. It was a nerve-wracking effort for those involved, but the dogs are safe tonight.

This story could have easily had a much different ending, but thanks to quick thinking and teamwork, the dogs are now at the shelter.

It all started Tuesday morning after someone spotted the pair stranded on the ice along the Maumee River.

“The ice was compromised, and it became an urgent situation really quickly,” Cassie Bloomfield, the community outreach coordinator for Lucas County Canine Care and Control, said.

Bloomfield says the dogs are doing incredibly well considering what they just went through. She has quite a few ways to describe her feelings as the rescue effort unfolded. “Heart-pounding, adrenaline rush, holding your breath, Goosebumps, feeling nauseous, the whole shebang as you are anticipating and waiting.”

Crews had to use a ladder just to get to the dock area where the dogs were found.

“Along the metal dock wall, the ice was melting, so where the ladder went down, it was very slushy. There was ice under the water, and it was starting to crack and melt. You are watching, just hoping that they don’t run out farther away, where you don’t have access to them,” Terra Bundy, the interim director at LC4. She was on scene for the rescue, said.

To get the dogs to safety, it was truly a team effort that involved Toledo police officers, Toledo Fire and Rescue Department crews, Jerusalem Township Fire-Rescue, as well as LC4. The shelter’s veterinarian, Dr. Nick Sattelmaier, was a critical part of the rescue.

“To be honest, my first thought was getting the dogs safe. I wasn’t thinking about what could possibly happen,” Dr. Sattelmaier said.

He climbed down the ladder onto the ice and was eventually able to coax the dogs to him with the help of a salami stick provided by a deputy from LC4.

“I sat there as a calm presence and said, ‘Come here, guys.’ As they began to get tired, they came over, and I was able to grab them and put leashes on them,” Dr. Sattelmaier said.

Once the dogs were safe and he was off the ice, Dr. Sattelmaier had time to think about the remarkable rescue effort.

“I was excited to get back on solid ground. I was anxious after the fact. It took me about a half an hour to calm down because my adrenaline was pumping,” Dr. Sattelmaier said.

Those involved say this story is a powerful reminder to all of us that no ice is safe ice. And Bloomfield says always get help from the professionals.

“Your heart is pounding, and you want to help right away, but you have to do it carefully and correctly, so for the public, that should never be a thing -- always needs to be done by the professionals. One false move, one bad step and a dog could have been in the water and the outcome could have been very different,” Bloomfield said.

The ice rescue took several hours from start to finish. On a side note, after Dr. Sattelmaier helped secure the dogs, he went right back to LC4 and performed his scheduled surgeries for the day.

The staff at LC4 believes the dogs are a bonded pair. They are friendly and appear to be well taken care of. The hope is to find their owner. The dogs are going through medical and behavioral testing this week. If the owner isn’t found, they’ll be up for adoption sometime later this month.

The LC4 staff is not trained for ice rescues. They were called in to assist. If you ever find dogs trapped on the ice, you are asked to call the police and fire crews.

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