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Apple Valley Brothers Save Police K-9 From Drowning

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Two Apple Valley brothers are being praised for helping rescue a dog who fell through the ice in Red Wing. But this wasn't just any dog.

Maverick is a police dog with the Red Wing Police Department. The 5-year-old German Shepard got away from his handler Wednesday after jumping over his 5-foot-5-inch fence.

"He's curious and he's active," police chief Roger Pohlman said. "He likes to run around, get after things."

He made his way to a nearby pond, where brothers Shawn and Corey Rose were trout fishing for the day.

"He came right up to us," Shawn said. "He looked like he was kind of hungry, so we fed him a little bit of a sandwich."

Shawn and Corey played with Maverick before the dog continued to wander the pond. When Maverick approached a hole in the ice, the ice broke off and the dog fell into the water.

"I said, 'We're going to have to rescue this dog if it can't get out,'" Shawn said.

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The brothers, along with a friend, ran to help Maverick.

"My buddy Mike grabbed a chisel and started to chisel the ice to see if we could get a channel to shore so he could get up," Shawn said.

When that didn't work, Corey reached into the icy water to grab the 90-pound-dog.

"I figured at least if I fall in, I can get him out, and I knew my brothers would get me out," Corey said.

As Corey pulled the dog out by his collar up onto the ice, Pohlman was driving by in his squad car and saw the whole rescue.

"I thanked them, and I said, 'K-9 Maverick thanks you, and the police department thanks you,'" Pohlman said. "I said, 'That is a trained law enforcement K-9.'"

"I was shocked," Corey said. "I definitely didn't know it was a K-9 dog, so I was amazed."

Pohlman said Maverick's training helped him keep swimming in the cold water, but it was the quick thinking of the brothers that likely helped save his life.

"I'll remember this day forever," Corey said.

Maverick is back on duty with the police department.

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