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'They Are Heroes,' Says Woman Who Had Dog Swept Away In Floodwaters

EVERGREEN, Colo. (CBS4) - This time of year is especially dangerous for rescue crews. They put their lives on the line to prevent tragedies, and on Saturday a rescue in Evergreen had a happy ending when a swift-water team saved a dog who became stuck under a flooded bridge.

Officials say water levels are at a 30-year high this season due to all the recent rainfall and snowmelt. The water has risen all the way up to a bridge on Bear Creek where a Labrador retriever was trapped.

Elizabeth Dana and her 8-year-old lab Shakespeare had been hiking along Bear Creek when the Labrador jumped in and was quickly swept away in the current.

"The water just within seconds swept him underneath the bridge," Dana said.

Elizabeth Dana
Elizabeth Dana and her dog Shakespeare (credit: CBS)

For the first 15 minutes Dana thought she had lost him -- but then she heard a whimper.

"So they could actually hear the dog because he was just underneath the most upstream beam sitting on an abutment," Lt. Drew Schneider with Evergreen Fire Rescue said. "So he was in about an inch or so of water in about a 16-inch space."

With a support team on tethers, Schneider suited up and plunged under the bridge, fighting upstream currents, freezing cold water and rushing debris.

"I had to go underneath basically five beams underwater each time where I'd have to lift my head under the beam, pop up in an air space, orient myself, hold myself into place because I've got the current trying to push me," he said.

EVERGREEN DOG RESCUE 5PKG.t
(credit: CBS)

Forty minutes later Schneider and a very relieved Shakespeare emerged to safety.

"I jumped over the wooden fence, he came out of the water and gave me a quick passing by, and then wanted to go back to the people who rescued him and he was just all about hanging out with them afterwards," Dana said.

Dana and Shakespeare are forever grateful to those who saved his life.

"They are amazing, they are heroes," Dana said.

Next time Dana says she'll keep Shakespeare on a leash.

Firefighters say if a dog needs to be rescued to call 911 and let the pet swim to its own safety.

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