Dog named Charlie rescued from frigid pond after escaping kennel, apparently letting himself out of house

MOUNT PLEASANT -- The dog that was rescued from the frigid waters of a pond near Island Club North in Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Jan. 13 was reunited with his owners.

The rescue happened on Saturday afternoon around 3:40 p.m.

The South Shore Fire Department arrived on scene and saw a large golden Labrador struggling to keep its head above the surface of the water. The dog was about 40 feet from the shoreline.

Dog rescued from icy pond in Mount Pleasant

According to the South Shore Fire Department, the dog "Charlie" was rescued and then taken to the WVRC emergency veterinary clinic on Green Bay Rd, in Mount Pleasant. The veterinarian was able to use a microchip in the dog's ear to identify the dog and learn its address.

Officials said the owners have had the dog since Christmas. Charlie was in a kennel while the family was away from home and learned how to escape the kennel. The family had also seen paw prints on the front door handle -- leading to believe Charlie must’ve let himself out of the house as well.

Dog rescued from icy pond in Mount Pleasant

The neighbors at the pond where the dog fell in had seen Charlie chasing geese when it happened and called officials to come help. That's when two members of the South Shore Fire Department entered the pond wearing ice rescue suits, and were able to rescue the dog from the water. The dog was out of the water approximately 7 minutes after their arrival.