DIGBY, N.S. — Thanks to her new-found fame, a young dog that was rescued after being stranded on the ice on Digby’s Haines Lake is living a new life and there are plenty of people who would like her to be a part of their life.
The dog was spotted running loose for close to two weeks prior to its dramatic rescue on March 14.
Local residents and neighbours Mike Titus and Nathaniel Denton paddled out in a canoe as far as they could after word spread on social media that the dog was stranded on the lake. Then Denton, who was wearing a dry suit, climbed out into the water to break a path in the ice the rest of the way. They eventually got close enough to grab the stranded animal and to bring it back to shore.
Zane Lynch, the owner of Drone & Co., had earlier tried to offer assistance, using a hot dog dangling from a drone to bait the stranded dog and to try and coax it to shore.
Scott Cromwell, Digby’s animal control officer, is now tending the roamer at the Digby municipal dog pound and says she’s doing fine.
“She’s acting like a dog. She’s acting kind of fussy with the treats I bought her so I had to go to another store,” he says.
As the only canine guest at the moment, “Lakey” – the temporary name that Cromwell is using for the dog – runs loose inside the pound, checking out various stalls.
People have been stopping in to give her treats and take her for walks.
Cromwell says he’s received no calls from her owner.
“Not even from anybody thinking they might recognize her,” he said on March 17.
“It’s odd. I’m thinking maybe she’s not from the area and was dropped off somewhere. Or the owner just doesn’t give a hoot and won’t come forward.”
During her weeks of running free, no one could catch her.
“But we caught her on Sunday (March 14). I think she wanted to be rescued at that time,” he laughs.
Cromwell says that if an owner comes forward he’s going to have a “really, really, hard time” giving her back to the owner.
“They’re going to have to jump through hoops and over the moon to get this dog back," he says. "I’ve got a ton of people who are looking to adopt her.”
He adds that he only wishes the potential adoptee list would be as long when other dogs are available.
READ: Rescuers use canoe and break a path through the ice to save stranded dog on Digby County lake
“I’ll have to say, 'Well, I found this one in the woods, I found this one on top of a house,’” he says, laughing.
Judging by her appearance, Lakey is one or two years old, he says, as her teeth are “nice and white, with no tartar or any yellow spots.”
Before she’s adopted, she’ll be taken to the vet for a preliminary check and microchipping.
Lakey was to be held five days or longer at the pound before a new owner is selected.
CONTACTS:
Digby Municipal Dog Control has a Facebook Page.
Phone 902-245-5885.
