It was a team effort to rescue a dog that had fallen into the Gorge Waterway, and the man who went in after it on Tuesday.
The Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club, while out for a paddle along the Gorge, came across a woman and her dog who were standing up on the pathway cheering them on, when seconds later the dog was in the water with them.
“All of the sudden there was a splash, the dog had literally walked into the Gorge and you might think dogs can swim, this one clearly couldn’t,” says Pamela Carroll, a VCKC paddler.
The dog’s owner began yelling for help saying her dog was very old and both deaf and blind. Fortunately, her call for help was heard.
“We quickly turned the boat around to try and rescue him but there’s a pontoon on the side of the boat and it was on the wrong side so we couldn’t get close to the dog. But, we didn’t have to worry because Art jumped into the water and rescued him,” says Angie Walters who is also a member of the VCKC.
Art Wood and his wife, Adele were out for a stroll when they came across the unfolding situation. Art saw the owner watching her little dog struggling to stay afloat and quickly jumped in after it.
Art was able to get the dog up from under the freezing water as the paddlers pulled up beside them.
“We don’t tend to be either dragging people or dogs out of the Gorge, we’ve done it before but it’s not a common occurrence,” adds Carroll.
Once they got to shore the dog was reunited with its owner. The dog was quickly checked by a veterinarian who happened to witness to event as well.
Art and his wife declined an interview but thanked the VCKC paddlers and the vet for their help. They hope the dog is doing well and enjoyed his 17th birthday on Wednesday.
“It’s a really good ending to a story that could have gone terribly, terribly wrong,” says Walters.
The VCKC has made Art and Adele honorary members of the club to thank them for their heroic acts.
Hannah Lepine
