Hannawa Falls pets saved after 8 days on island

POTSDAM — Two dogs were rescued Monday afternoon after spending eight days trapped on Potsdam's Sugar Island in the freezing weather.

The St. Lawrence County Dive Team used a boat borrowed from Brookfield Power Corp. to cross the swift-moving Raquette River and a thin patch of ice to reach the starving chocolate Labrador retrievers, which ran away from home last month.

"They're normally house dogs. I can't believe they survived this long," said owner Sean G. Bercume, Hannawa Falls.

Mr. Bercume said Brodie, 3, and Brandie, 2, ran off late Jan. 24, undeterred by the family's electric "invisible fence."

"I let them out and turned around to get my coat, and they were gone," he said. "Their shock collars were charged and everything."

Mr. Bercume and his wife, Jami E., had nearly given up hope after a week of searching back roads and putting up lost-dog notices when they received a call Sunday night. Mark T. Lee, Potsdam, told the Bercumes he had seen two chocolate Labs on Sugar Island while he was walking his dog on the nearby Red Sandstone Trail. Mr. Bercume went out and heard the dogs barking, but couldn't safely get to them.

"It was so hard. I was up at two o'clock thinking about going back," Mr. Bercume said. "I just knew I was going out there today, and I wasn't going to leave them."

County dive master Mark T. Smutz and Dustin Haenel, Ogdensburg, were the two crew members who pulled the flat-bottomed boat onto the ice near the island and eventually rowed the dogs back to shore. It took them about a half-hour to get the frightened dogs into the boat.

"These dogs have been out for eight days, so they're scared. It took a little coaxing before they knew it was OK," Mr. Smutz said.

Mr. and Mrs. Bercume shouted to the dogs from the shore to try to get them to come to the divers. Finally, Brandie came to Mr. Smutz and Brodie soon followed — after a final plea from his owner.

"Come on, Brodie!" Mr. Bercume yelled. "Warm house! That French poodle you've been thinking about?"

Mrs. Bercume handed leashes to her husband as the boat pulled up, and gave bones to the dogs as they leapt out.

The couple immediately drove the animals to their veterinarian, who pulled 20 porcupine quills out of Brodie's snout. The male had lost 20 pounds, while Brandie lost about 15, throughout their eight-day ordeal, Mr. Bercume said.

The Bercumes said "the million-dollar question" is how their dogs got onto the island in the first place. They figure that Brodie and Brandie must have found a path on some ice that then melted in the thaw last week.

"It's just a huge relief to have them home. They're both dead asleep under the computer desk, and they're not moving," Mr. Bercume said. "I really want to thank everybody. We really appreciate everything they did to help us."

The dogs will be on a diet of plain yogurt, cottage cheese and chicken noodle soup until they regain some weight, Mr. Bercume said.

Waddington Fire Chief Matthew G. Mayette, who helped with the rescue efforts Sunday and Monday, said the operation went smoothly and was good training for the dive crews.

"They wanted to take a canoe out last night, but it would have gone in the water right away, hands-down," Mr. Mayette said Monday. "The alternative worked out fine, and I'm glad they're safe. It's still a life. I've got a chocolate Lab myself, and they're just like your child."

In addition to the dive crew and Brookfield Power staff, fire departments from Potsdam and Hannawa Falls responded to the call and the Potsdam Rescue Squad was on the scene.