By Howard Pankratz
The Denver Post
DENVER — Kodiak and Mariah were two tuckered-out dogs by the time their great adventure ended Tuesday afternoon.
The two golden retrievers were enjoying a romp in the mountains when they ran onto a pond in Bergen Park and fell through the ice.
The sight was not encouraging when Evergreen Fire Rescue arrived at the pond about 1:35 p.m., said Einar Jensen, community educator for the fire department. “The dogs were completely soaked,” Jensen said. “Kodiak had his paws on the ice holding on. Mariah was paddling around. She looked tired.
“We estimated that had she been in the water another 15 minutes, we would have lost her,” Jensen said.
Evergreen Fire Rescue Capt. Paul Rodgers put on an ice-rescue suit and, tethered to a blue lifeline, began working his way across the ice to the dogs.
The dogs knew ``it was a good thing’’ and started paddling in his direction.Once in the water with the dogs, Rodgers was able to hoist the smaller Mariah out of the water onto the ice. He then had to wrap his arms around the much larger Kodiak and push him out. The owner will be cited for letting the two retrievers run loose.