Owner claims 1 of 2 dogs rescued from ice floe on Maumee Bay

Two dogs stranded on the ice on Lake Erie Friday have been claimed by their owner.

One of the two dogs rescued Friday night from an ice floe after being stranded on Maumee Bay in Toledo for almost 10 hours, has been claimed by its owner, according to Lucas County Dog Warden Julie Lyle.

The owner, Larry Jeffrey, 5939 319th St.. said he would come back to bail out the second dog on Friday, said Ms. Lyle.

Mary Jeffrey, who answered the door at the home, said the dogs names were Lady and Muffin. Lady is the golden retriever, who is still at the pound, and Muffin is the black Labrador retriever, who was released to Mr. Jeffrey this afternoon after he paid nearly $94 in fines.

About 40 people gathered on the shore burst into cheers as a two-man crew from the Washington Township Fire Department brought the soaking-wet golden retriever and black Labrador retriever to safety at about 6:45 p.m. aboard a hovercraft. The dogs had fallen through the ice several times during the course of the day, but had managed to get back up on the floe, witnesses said.

Several residents said they feared for the dogs' safety, and spent the better part of the day watching the dogs run back and forth in the middle of the bay between Grassy Island and 145th Street and Edgewater Drive. The dogs were first spotted about 9 a.m. and, as the day went on, word got out on the Point Place Block Watch Facebook page about their plight.

Although Toledo Police responded, Washington Township rescued the dogs because it has a hovercraft, and Toledo police do not.

Once the dogs were brought to shore, they were leashed and taken to the dog pound, where they have been since Friday. 

Contact Tanya Irwin at: tirwin@theblade.com or 419-724-6066.