Firefighters join wild duck chase in Melbourne’s west

Marine firefighters have reunited a daredevil dog with her owner, after a Labrador took herself for a one kilometre swim along the Maribyrnong last week.

Published:
Friday, 21 August 2020 at 4:04 am

FRV crews were conducting fireboat training drills on river on Saturday, when a distressed woman waved them down.

She told firefighters her dog had been chasing ducks and jumped into the river, then swam away.

The black Labrador, Indy, was nowhere to be seen.

FRV crews set off on the river in search of the headstrong hound, putting their marine search and rescue training into practice.

A passer-by told them he had seen a dog swim into the lake at Edgewater Marina, almost a kilometre away.

Crews made their way to the marina where they found Indy, still swimming, and still happily chasing ducks.

In no hurry to be rescued, firefighters used the fireboats to corral Indy, before grabbing hold of her and lifting her into the boat.

She was safely returned to her grateful owner, and to the relief of the ducks.

Updated