Pet owners have been warned of the perils of icy water, after a woman who went into Dundee’s Clatto Reservoir trying to save her dog had to be taken to hospital.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged pet owners not to risk their own lives by attempting to save their pets.
The warning comes after emergency services rushed to Clatto Park on Sunday, where the 25-year-old woman had followed her small dog into the water.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We got a call at 1.06pm to the west end of Clatto Country Park. There were reports of a female in her mid-20s who was in the water, which was icy.”
An ambulance and single-manned first response unit attended and the ambulance service also alerted the police and fire and rescue service.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Three appliances from the Kingsway, one from Perth and one from McAlpine Road went.
“The Kingsway appliances got there and discovered they weren’t needed.”
When the ambulance arrived the woman was soaking wet so she was transferred to Ninewells Hospital.
One woman who had tried to help rescue the dog issued a warning to pet owners on Facebook.
She wrote: “Please, please, please be careful around the reservoir at Clatto Park. The water is ice in some parts and as much as we tried to rescue him I had to watch a little dog drown there.
“It was tragic and horrifying and I hope no one else has to suffer what that poor owner did today. Please be careful and keep your dog on a lead if it’s prone to run into the water.”
David Walker, leisure safety manager at RoSPA, also urged pet owners to stay away from icy water.
He said: “During the winter months when there is ice and snow around, we urge people not to venture into the water to rescue their pet.
“In many of the cases that we know about, the animal has scrambled to safety while the owner has not.
“Although frozen water can look tempting, there’s simply no way of knowing whether the ice will hold your weight and it’s often too late by the time you find out that it won’t.
“We advise dog walkers to keep their animal on a lead around water and to not throw sticks or balls on to the ice.”
Latest figures show 22 people died accidentally or from natural causes around water in Scotland last winter.
Superintendent Alan Cunningham of Police Scotland Safer Communities stressed the need for a common sense approach.
“Holiday periods are always a busy time for all the emergency services and for the volunteers who support us,” he said.
“With over 37,000 separate stretches of inland water in Scotland, many of which are remote, help will often be some considerable time away. The best advice is to be aware of the dangers, think about the risks and plan to minimise them.”
In the event of a someone falling through ice call the emergency services and do not attempt to go out on to the ice yourself.
You should tell the person to stay still to maintain heat and energy and try finding something that will extend your reach, such as a rope, pole or branch.