'Don't stop retrieving': Firefighters scoot across frozen creek to rescue terrified dog

A group of firefighters in Tulsa, Oklahoma earned some Twitter love after a video of a dog rescue went viral on Wednesday (7 February). The footage showed how the rescue team made their way across the frozen Mingo Creek to retrieve a dog that had been stranded on the ice.

Captain Justin Flake of Tulsa Fire Department told NewOn6 that a firefighter saw the dog sitting in the middle of the sheet of ice, too terrified to move back to safety. The man then called a task force for help and soon a team had gathered on the banks.

Dressed in protective suits, two firefighters got into an inflatable raft and using their arms in sync, scooted across the ice to the waiting animal. Once close enough, the dog scrambled into the raft which was pulled back to land with a rope.

Tulsa Animal Control then took over, keeping the dog warm and making sure he was not injured in any way. The animal looked healthy and was wearing a collar.

"The mission statement of the Tulsa Fire Department is to protect life - whether that's an animal's life or a person's life," Flake said of the rescue.

Once the video of the rescue was shared online, people voiced their support for the TFD and expressed relief that the dog was doing well.

"Thank you, Heroes! Much love to you for the lives you save - human and otherwise! Compassion and courage know no bounds," one person wrote on Twitter.

With temperatures still below freezing point in many parts of the US, animals are at major risk of getting into accidents. There have been numerous reports of dogs falling through the ice in lakes and ponds. Some pets have suffered from hypothermia after being left outside in the cold.

Pet owners have been instructed to keep their animals indoors and to take them out on a leash, especially during heavy snowfall. Humane Rescue Alliance recommends that dogs wear paw protectors to prevent cuts and cracks from the ice and salt.