Man braves freezing Meadows to rescue dog

Andrew Cowie • Published 31 Dec 2009 08:00 Comments 1 Comment

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A LEADING vet has hailed the dramatic rescue of a dog from a frozen loch as a "Christmas miracle".

Axel, a five-year-old Doberman, fell through ice on the loch at Lochore Meadows Country Park on Christmas Day and somehow survived for half an hour in the bitterly cold water before being pulled to safety.

And his survival has baffled vet Adam Tjolle, of Cowdenbeath vets Inglis, who can't understand how any animal could have lasted more than five minutes in those temperatures.

"In all my years as a vet I've never come across anything like it, " said TV vet Mr Tjolle, who appears with presenter Rolf Harris on the BBC show Animal Hospital.

"The fact that this dog isn't dead can only be put down to a Christmas miracle."

Axel's rescue came after he broke through the ice when chasing birds onto the loch at the Meadows.

Owner Kevin Copinger (37), from Dunfermline, had been taking the dog for a walk round the loch before Christmas lunch when Axel took off to pursue three geese and a swan.

Kevin returned to his car, presuming that Axel would show up, but was shocked to be told by a passer-by that a dog was floundering in the water after breaking through the ice. Kevin phoned Fife Fire and Rescue Service but realised he would have to try himself to rescue Axel.

He tied a rope with floats on it to a jetty and planned hold onto it as a slide out onto the ice towards the dog, which was around 800 metres from shore.

But he gave up on that plan when he realised that the ice would not hold his weight. Instead, he took a kayak-shaped sailing hull from an unlocked security compound and, using a long pole, punted his way towards Axel over and sometimes through the ice.

He explained, "By the time I got to Axel I could see he was struggling. He was howling and gurgling, obviously taking in water.

"It was horrible. You could tell he was really distressed and running out of energy."

Kevin, who at one stage fell through the ice and was waste deep in water, somehow managed to pull Axel onto the kayak and held the shivering dog to his body while he waited on the emergency services.

Four fire and rescue personnel used inflatable platforms to get to the scene and convey Kevin and Axel to safety.

Kevin, a keen hillwalker currently doing a mountain leader's course, added, "I know a thing or two about hypothermia and, like the vet, I just cannot understand how Axel survived in those temperatures for so long.

"He was trembling and was in a bit of a state." After a warm drink and a night wrapped in Kevin's dressing gown, Axel was checked over by vet Adam at the Inglis Veterinary Centre in Dunfermline on Saturday.

"How on earth he survived I will never know," said Mr Tjolle. "At 37 kilograms Axel is ever so slightly overweight and I can only think that little bit extra fat must have saved his life.

"All he has to show for his ordeal are slight ear and chest infections.

"He looks exhausted and his back legs are a little stiff not bad considering that he really should be dead. He's a miracle dog".

The vet added that Axel's experiences had put him off what's become a Boxing Day tradition.

He explained, "A few friends and I usually go for a 'Loony Dook' in the Forth at Aberdour on Boxing Day but I decided against it after learning about Axel's drama. I usually last about 30 seconds in the sea, and it's nowhere near as cold as the loch was. I can't imagine how Axel survived half an hour."

Kevin said he had "pulled" his back when dragging Axel out of the water but said, "That's a tiny price to pay for having him still with us."

He added, "The funny thing about all this is that Axel really hates the cold. I let him out for a tinkle at night and if it's cold you can tell that he just doesn't want to go."

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thumper
Unregistered User
Feb 12, 22:04
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glad top hear axel is ok but what a bout the dog on lead signs in that part of the loch. think people should pay more attention to these notices.

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