Crews rescue cows stuck in icy pond in Center Twp.; 3 die
Several cows needed to be rescued after they got stuck in an icy pond Monday evening, Feb. 9, in Center Township.
Firefighters responded around 5 p.m. to the 100 block of Muddy Creek Drive for reports that seven cows had become stuck in a frozen pond.
Responders weren’t sure if the cows had broken the ice and walked into the pond or wandered onto the ice and fell through. Nathan Wulff, a deputy chief with the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, said the water was only 2 to 3 feet deep, but there was 3 to 4 feet of thick mud underneath it.
“Obviously, a cow is a lot bigger than a person, too,” Wulff said.
Three of the seven cows died by the time crews left the scene. Four cows lived through the more than two-hour rescue attempt, but Wulff said it was unclear how they would fare.
Crews began the rescue by trying to coax the cows out and lead them with rope, but Wulff said since the cows had likely been stuck for a couple of hours before 911 was called, most of their strength had been depleted.
“Sometimes, they think they’re more stuck than they actually are,” Wulff said.
Parts of the ice were almost a foot thick, Wulff added, and other parts were only a couple of inches thick.
Rescuers wore dry suits and life jackets during the attempt, but they avoided getting in the water with the cows for the most part. Wulff said spooked cattle can be unpredictable and have the potential to trample or trap a rescuer.
When rescuers realized the cows could not be coaxed or pulled out, they used a lull telehandler, which Wulff described as similar to a four-wheel-drive forklift. Errera’s Garage and Towing also brought equipment to help with the rescue.
The Prospect Volunteer Fire Department also aided in the rescue.
Wulff said responding to a call regarding an animal is vastly different from a call regarding a human. He said rescuers are typically willing to take more risk for a human, but they still did everything they could to save the cows.
