Gage County Sheriff's Officers honored for pet rescue

BEATRICE - A team of law officers have been honored by Gage County Sheriff Millard Gustafson, for their roles in a recent animal rescue from a frozen pond near Pickrell.

Gustafson, on a Sheriff’s Office Facebook posting, presented the award which was donated by Paw Prints Boarding and Grooming, to Deputy Tom Smith, Deputy Paxton Diehl, and Sergeant John Patsch for their teamwork during the recent rescue of a family pet north of Pickrell.

The Gage County Board of Supervisors was represented by Chairman Erich Tiemann and Law Enforcement Chairman Gary Lytle.

On February 9th, the Gage County Sheriff's Office was called to an icy pond northwest of Pickrell...on a report that a dog had fallen through the ice and was trapped.

When Deputy Tom Smith arrived, he reported finding the dog, a German shepherd, mostly submerged in water and clinging to the edge of the ice approximately 15 yards from the shore line.  With near freezing temperatures , Smith donned a set of borrowed chest waders and waded into the ice with a hammer, smashing his way through the ice. Smith was able to successfully free the dog.

After the recovery of the pet, Smith was evaluated and treated for cold-related issues by Deputy Paxton Diehl of the Gage County Sheriff’s Office. Diehl is a combat medic in the Nebraska Army National Guard.

Smith was evaluated by Pickrell EMS on site and returned to duty.  The dog was returned to its owner.