Trooper Assists With Rescue Of Dog From Icy Canal in Little Falls NY

On January 10, 2026, at approximately 8:50 a.m., State Police responded to the Industrial Park in the city of Little Falls to assist the Little Falls Police Department and Little Falls Fire Department following a report of a woman and her dog who had fallen through the ice near the barge canal. A passerby had called 911 to report the incident.

A preliminary investigation determined that the woman had been walking her Labrador Bernese Mountain Dog mix when the dog approached the water and fell in. While attempting to rescue her dog, the woman also fell into the canal.

Little Falls Fire Department and members of the Little Falls Police Department were able to safely remove the woman from the water. At that time, the dog was struggling and beginning to submerge. Trooper Michael Szarek deployed a water rescue rope, which the dog attempted to grab multiple times. When the dog was unable to maintain a hold, Trooper Szarek and Officer Austin entered the water and successfully secured and rescued the dog. Both the woman and her dog were safely brought to shore and were not seriously injured.

State Police have released body worn camera footage on social media of Trooper Szarek, which captures the rescue and highlights the coordinated efforts of all responding agencies.

Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/trooper-assists-rescue-dog-icy-canal-little-falls