A little curly dog was seen relaxing in the middle of the Detroit River on an ice floe by several onlookers. He was frozen and unable to move independently.
He was surrounded by nothing but frigid water and ice, with the occasional appearance of raptors and voracious coyotes. Before Jude Mead appeared beside the river after four days, no one had attempted to assist the unfortunate dog. At that moment, the dog stuck on the ice was already a local celebrity, and a sizable audience had assembled to witness him.
He started to think about how he might help the dog when he saw him.
BASF Corp provided Jude with an airboat when they learned that he intended to rescue the dog. With its help, Jude was able to go to the dog and free him from the ice trap. The Canadian drove the dog to the Woodhaven Veterinary Clinic. The dog had pancreatitis, severe dehydration, and frostbite on its paws. The dog’s name was Alfonso.
Doctors managed to preserve Alfonso’s paws, and once he recovered, he was taken to the River Rouge Animal Shelter. Alfonso’s rescuer Jude Mead had several calls from individuals who wanted to adopt him, but the shelter’s staff was sure he would be the best owner for the dog.
