Missing Cambridge dog safe after dramatic rescue by fire department

Members of Ground Search and Rescue KW were breathing a sigh of relief after saving a missing dog in Cambridge.

The pet-rescue organization received the call Friday about Frankie, a missing dog who had escaped from her owner’s backyard.

After receiving multiple calls about sightings of Frankie around Cambridge on Saturday, the group focused their efforts along the area of the Grand River behind Cambridge Memorial Hospital.

“I was able to find her footprints in the direction the spotter said,” said Tina Daquano, vice present of the organization. “We followed it step by step by blood because unfortunately, she likely had sliced her paw being out on the ice.”

They finally managed to find Frankie, but before they could get their hands on her, she was back on the move.

Once finding her again, volunteers attempted to safely rescue her, but Frankie became frightened and slid into dangerous territory.

“She jumped up and Tine and I jumped back and we were both like ‘ahh, nobody move’,” said Kathryn Burtenshaw, co-founder and president of the rescue group.

“She slipped down the embankment thinking that she would be able to go around something. She was definitely scared. “

The group then contacted the Cambridge Fire Department.

“She was on a small little cliff where she had slid down and we had a really good volunteer sit with her and just keep her calm,” said Burtenshaw.

While there was a sense of relief, the rescue mission wasn’t over yet.

“Unfortunately, she slipped down the embankment probably about another 15 feet," said Burtenshaw. "So now she was on the edge of the ice and when we heard they finally had control of her, we were all relieved.”

Despite being safe from the freezing water, getting Frankie back to the mainland would pose another demanding task.

“She probably weighs about 90 pounds," said Burtenshaw. "They couldn’t get her back up the embankment so they formulated a plan and they got the rescue boat and it launched from the river bluffs boat launch.”

She may have been cold and exhausted – but Frankie was finally safe.

“It was a huge sigh of relief and 100 per cent miraculous to see,” added Burtenshaw. “We were extremely thankful to the fire department.”