Dog Dies After Venturing Out On Clear Creek

GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - There was a frantic search for a dog that fell through the ice in Clear Creek Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, the pup didn't survive.

Search crews say the tragedy is an important lesson for everybody. Dive crews say these types of rescues become more common when the weather turns warmer.

Crews were called to Clear Creek in Golden in Lion's Park. The death of the dog turned a sunny Sunday into sad one for a Lakewood family, but the greater message is -- two legs or four -- stay off the ice.

The Erdmann family said 13-year-old Timber was walking along Clear Creek. At some point Timber wandered onto the ice, but then broke through. She then found herself in the water with the current pulling her under. When the owner pulled on the leash the collar came off.

Golden fire personnel worked very hard to save Timber. Meanwhile her owner reminded people there is that instinct to jump in, but he knew it's better off calling for help and not risking other lives.

"In the snap of the fingers and all I can say is, you know, it can happen very quickly to your loved ones, faster than you can possibly think, and so keep your pets and your kids away from ice," Timber's owner Dieter Erdmann said.

"Just keep in mind when we have these warm temperatures and the ice that the ice is going to be very unstable," Karlyn Tilley with Golden fire said. "You never know how thick it is at any place on the ice, so you just need to stay off it."

Firefighters say that no standing water in the metro area, including lakes, ponds and creeks, is safe to walk on in the winter months, even if it looks like it's frozen, it's not safe to venture out on.