It all started with a simple hole in a fence. Stella, a six-month-old Australian Shepherd, saw her chance and slipped through the gap to escape. But instead of staying on solid ground, the young dog ventured out onto the frozen surface of the Detroit River in the USA.
A local resident quickly raised the alarm. When police arrived, they saw the scale of the problem: Stella was over 330 yards from the shore. "We can see her out there, but there's really no safe way to get to her," said Lynsey Ramage, who witnessed the scene. The ice was unstable, and every minute counted.
Drones and hovercrafts join the rescue
Unable to reach her on foot, the police first tried an unusual approach: using a drone to guide Stella back to the shore. Unfortunately, the panicked dog only moved further away, heading towards the Canadian border.
The fire department was then called in for backup with a hovercraft. The challenge was immense. Stella was frightened by the noise of the machine and fled whenever it got close. After four hours of unsuccessful attempts and extreme tension, an unexpected incident changed the course of the rescue.
A fortunate turn of events
Just as hope was beginning to fade, Stella fell through the ice. She managed to pull herself out of the water, but one of her paws became frozen to the surface. It was this forced immobility that finally allowed the rescuers to approach her and bring her safely aboard the boat.
Safe and sound, Stella was reunited with her family, who were grateful for the community effort that saved her. "It was a job well done by everyone involved," said Sergeant Eric Vazquez, who was still moved by the outcome.
