THESE dramatic pictures show how a desperate dog owner plunged into a frozen lake to save his pet.
Walkers in Alkrington Woods, Middleton, were astonished to see animal lover Marc Greenhalgh wade into the icy waters in subzero temperatures.
He had been shouting at his black cocker spaniel, Jarvis, to come back to the shore after it ran on to the ice to chase ducks.
Jarvis became trapped in water which had not frozen over in the centre of the lake.
After five minutes of frantic doggy paddling, Jarvis was struggling to keep his head above the surface and was not able to climb back on to the ice.
Smashing
Marc, 25, a bricklayer from Langley, quickly removed some of his clothes and stepped off the bank, smashing the ice as he went neck-deep into water.
Both emerged from the water shivering from the cold but the owner simply shook the water off his clothes and walked away.
Speaking to the M.E.N. today, Marc said he would do the same again if his pet was in peril.
He said: “I didn’t think twice about it. Jarvis was in trouble and he needed my help.”
Marc had gone walking in the woods with wife Trisha, 24, brother Daniel, 23, and Daniel’s girlfriend Olivia, 23, on New Year’s Day.
He said: “We had just gone for a walk with Jarvis to clear our heads after a big night out on New Year’s Eve.
“As we got to the pond the stupid thing, who is actually a gun dog, saw the ducks in the middle and jumped straight in. I started shouting for him to come back but he was stuck.
“An old woman started screaming ‘he’s going to drown’. I looked at my brother and said ‘I’m going to have to go in aren’t I?’ and he said yes.”
Marc took off some of his clothes and started to make his way across the lake.
“The ice began to give way and the water was up to my neck,” he said. “It was absolutely freezing, I couldn’t tell you how cold it was. Eventually I managed to get across to him and we’ve come out to the side of the bank.
“I think a crowd of about 20 had gathered. They were more bothered about the dog than me! A couple of them said well done and told me to get home and get warmed up.”
Marc has only had Jarvis, named after Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, for three months.
He said: “My brothers have dogs and I’ve always wanted one so we picked him up from the dog’s home. He’s a nice dog who loves to be around people but he does get over-excited.”
Julie Brown, 46, a university lecturer, captured the dramatic rescue on camera on New Year's Day and described the man as 'cool as a cucumber'.
She was walking her three dogs with daughter when the spaniel darted in front of them.
Ms Brown, from Middleton, said: "He went into the water as an absolute last resort. The dog was struggling before it began losing energy and started going under the surface.
Traumatic
"It was very traumatic and people were screaming. My daughter was petrified.
"I don't know who he is but I'd like to congratulate him for being so brave."
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "We advise people not to let their dog or pets run on ice in cold weather.
"The ice usually cannot support the weight of the animal and if the owner follows it they can end up in very dangerous circumstances."
Temperatures are set to plummet as low as minus six Celsius tonight in some parts of Greater Manchester. Daytime pemperatures will struggle to climb above 2C for the rest of the week but will become milder after the weekend.
Back at home Marc said he had no hesitation in taking the plunge but added his heroics had not gone down too well with his mum.
He said: “She was less than impressed when she found out and said ‘you don’t risk your life for a daft dog’, but she doesn’t like them anyway.”
As for future trips out with Jarvis, Marc is hoping to avoid a repeat performance.
He said: “I’m not going to let him off his lead again and we’re not going for a walk near any ponds.”
After appearing in the paper Marc said he was inundated with calls and texts from friends.
“I went on the M.E.N. website and saw it,” he said. “Then I went out and bought some papers. Everyone has been ringing me – it’s mad.”
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crazy....risking his life too.
PAH :
you obviously don't have pets! And if you do, God help them if they ever get into trouble!
Most dog owners would've done the same. He did it as a last resort to save his dog who would have drowned.
bit of a stupid comment really PAH!
Sorry Jo, but, as a dog owner, I have to say he was completely wrong - for letting his dog run out of control. If he had had control of the dog it wouldn't have got into trouble in the first place. This is one of the first things you are taught in basic obedience training, which every dog owner should undergo. I can understand the desperation but this man must look closely at his own actions - which, had things turned out differently could have ended up endangering other peoples lives too.
Hero???? Think of the money this could have cost if it had gone wrong
Dog owners weigh more than dogs.
If dog goes through Ice, owner will too.
Stupid person.
How many times do we hear where dog gets back safely, owner dies.
Stupid person.
Dear me.What a silly man he is!
A very brave and caring man. Yes, many of you are moaning because he was foolhardy but often that is the price of being brave. How can you be brave in these circumstances without real risk being involved?
Perhaps only those who truly understand the bond between pets and their owners will understand this man's courage. And perhaps only those with that bond will be able to make any sense out of this.
I can understand (most of the comments) that the man was wrong to risk his own life, whilst trying to save his dog.
However, surely, you can understand at 'that' moment in time, sensible thinking is not always an option...
Re Jo, Manchester,
The man is wrong Jo for one, letting his stupid dog to worry the water fowl in the break in the ice. another considerate dog owner eh.
Too many dog owners are misplaced in their thinking that dogs can run around without a lead in our open spaces they cant and when i am out with my little girl any dog approaching my family is soon sent packing with its tail between its legs as are some dog owners.
Lighten up everyone no-one was harmed so how about we have a caption competition for what the brown dog on the bank in photo 6 is thinking looking at the soggy spaniel ?
A happy ending, thankfully.
Hope he got a biscuit for that as well.
Any safety or first aid course will tell you that the human body will shut down the blood flow to the muscles when you enter cold water so you will not be able to use your muscles effectively to swim in case of difficulties, also water draws heat out of your body 250 times faster than air causing immersion hypothermia in minutes, this man, although obviously a very caring man and was not stupid but was ignorant to the risk to his own safety.
I'm glad he survived though and the dog but maybe his experience may make him think about keeping the dog on a lead next time
Scary but a happy ending, thankfully!
Do you think he watched Eastenders over Xmas?
Blue Truth:
What a wonderful example you are to your little girl, showing her how to treat animals, you must be so proud of yourself!
I myself didn’t see anywhere in the story about the dog being aggressive or bothering anybody, seen as it was stuck in a lake at the time?
Jarvis (the) Cocker (Spaniel). The bloke is obviously a Pulp fan - love it !!
Bluetruth.....
I am a dog owner and I find your comments totally out of order!!
My dog unfortunately is agressive towards other animals (through no fault of either hers or mine before you start!!) and therefore as a RESPNONSIBLE owner, she is muzzled and kept on lead whenever we are out in public areas.
If however I had a dog that was okay around other animals and people, like many other dogs are, then I would be only too happy to let the dog off lead to run and play in a public park whilst out on walks, again as a responsible owner and only after having trained the dog on recall.
Out of interest, I wonder whether your children are little angels who never do no wrong!! Hmm.
m, mcr,
5/01/2009 at 13:55
yeh thats right compare the behaviour of a child to that of an animal. it is an animal, children are human beings.
so when an innocent child gets its face ripped open by a dog in your world the child must have been misbehaving in the animals company.
why should i have to be frightened that any dog approaching my child without a lead is acceptable.
no doubt you have no children so you treat your dog like a person its a dirty foul smelly animal.
Also i do not practice any cruelty to anything with my child i am just protecting her from an animal i know nothing about.
lets hope your dog never comes into contact with me
Actually I do have children and they have been taught how to act around our dog. And no I don’t treat my dog like a person, I treat it like a dog and a pet. And also it is not a dirty foul smelly dog either – it is well cared for and clean!!
Animals, especially dogs, react to fear and you are not doing your child any favours by enforcing that fear anytime a dog is misfortunate enough to come within your range. You are not always going to be with your child so what are they going to do when they are out alone and a dog comes near??
I do not condone dogs attacking people or children - like I said earlier, I am a RESPONSIBLE owner and it breaks my heart when I see people injured by dogs but trust me – people do far more damage to dogs than they do to people!! If children were taught to respect animals at a younger age then perhaps we would not have the problems we have today!
Not all of us are irresponsible idiots who allow out ‘out of control’ dogs to run around public areas and I for one would not accept someone like you telling me what to do in a public place. Lets hope you never come into contact with me either!!
m, mcr and Blue Truth: this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.
I would of done the same if this was my dog, any one on here that says that they could of just stood there and watched there dog die is sick in the head! I personally think if it was some one elses dog and they wasnt around then I would have felt the need to save it.
A great story. Compelling and rich.
Do any of the people around here wear anything other than white trainers while walking in the park!??
If it'd have been on a lead, he wouldn't have gone in the water would he?..Well done to the bloke though..and to all the others taking the photo's.
These are the people who deserve medals not soapstars who get very well paid for what they do.we should give these people some recognition for going that little etra just for the love of a animal or person...well done mate i wish you a very happy new year and hope you get everything you wish for.
M, mcr
I totally agree with you. However, you have to understand Blue Truth’s obvious ignorance towards animals and how to treat them.
I understand people’s comments about the danger that the man put himself in but that was his pet and pet owners and “reasonable” non-pet owners will surely understand in that situation he obviously didn’t think about his own safety when he was about to see his own dog drown.