Dog rescued from ice on KK River, owner reunited, briefly

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- FOX6 News was there when a dog was pulled from a piece of ice on the KK River on Sunday, March 17th. Once the dog was rescued, the quest to find its owner began. While the dog and its owner were reunited on Tuesday, March 19th -- that reunion was short-lived.

MPD's Harbor Patrol rescued the dog who was stranded on an ice float on the KK River on Sunday.

The dog ended up at MADACC on Monday. A veterinarian checked the dog over and determined it to be in good health. Experts who worked with the dog said based on its mannerisms, they believed it had an owner -- though the dog had no tags or microchip.

The dog's owner, Tracy Zillmer showed up to claim the dog, named "Charley" on Tuesday.

Tracy said she got Charley as a puppy, but was homeless for awhile, and Charley and Tracy's two other pets went to her mother.

Once Tracy got her new apartment, her mother brought the dogs back to her. However, Tracy soon discovered her apartment was too small to share with three pets -- as well as her son and her father.

On Saturday, Tracy says she gave Charley to what she thought was a good, safe home.

"A guy. He just lost his dog -- died, so he wanted a replacement dog and Charley fit the bill," Tracy's father said.

Then, she saw him on TV on Sunday.

"I yelled 'Tracy, you got to come here.' She took one look and she says 'that's Charley,'" Tracy's father said.

Tracey says she contacted the man to whom she gave the dog, and she says he pretended everything was fine.

Tracy said she had to see for herself whether Charley was indeed the rescued dog -- and sure enough, she and Charley were reunited at MADACC.

Tracy's biggest concern was that Charley not be euthanized. With no money to retrieve him or space to care for him, she signed him over.

"I believe he deserves a chance to have a great loving family. I mean, I'm telling you, he has brought a lot of love to us," Tracy said.

A MADACC partner, the Elmbrook Humane Society is taking Charley to its facility. The organization has a no kill policy, and Charley will be put up for adoption.

Charley is a pug/miniature Bassett hound mix.