What a waste of a human life --
I bet this young lady watched plenty of movies -- and movies ALWAYS have sappy scenes where pets are rescued. And of course, again and again through sentimentality pets are equated to human beings.

This woman reacted as if her young CHILD fell in the pond! Risking her life for THAT would have been another matter -- a noble act, rather than a foolish one. A dog is not a child.

Woman Dies Saving Dogs That Fell Through Ice
Two Pet Owners Fall Through Ice In Two Separate Incidents
By Dayle Cedars, 7NEWS Reporter

POSTED: 1:17 pm MST December 2, 2007

DENVER -- Rescuers were called out to two separate incidents Sunday where dog owners had fallen through the ice trying to rescue their pets.

One of the pet owners, a teenager, died.

Police said Laura Mae Wallace lost control of her two dogs while walking near an icy pond at the Buffalo Run Golf Course in Commerce City.

Wallace, 19, ran on to the frozen pond after her dogs and fell through the ice, police said.

A neighbor who lives near the golf course saw the dog playing on the ice and ran to help. When she got to the pond she saw Wallace in the freezing water.

Police said the neighbor threw a leash to Wallace to try and rescue her, but Wallace was too weak and went under the water.

The neighbor immediately called 911.

Officers and fire personnel tried to rescue Wallace but were unable to reach her with the equipment that they had, said Chuck Saunier of the Commerce City Police Department.

When dive teams arrived about 40 minutes later, Wallace had been submerged in the water for about one hour.

She was found about 30 feet from the shore in 20 feet of water, Saunier said. She was flown to Denver Health Medical Center and died Sunday afternoon.

The pond is about 25 feet deep with a thin layer of ice on top. Police said the water temperature was between 35 and 40 degrees.

Rescuers said they have had incidents where people were in the water for up to 90 minutes and survived.

Ironically, the cold water can be a saving grace in situations like this, said Daniel Goldan of the Metro Dive Rescue Team.

"Cold water helps slow the heart functions and the body's need for oxygen to the brain," Goldan said. "So the cold water actually helps her, as opposed to being submerged for that length of time in warm water, where the oxygen deprivation would have more drastic effects."

Dive teams also pulled out both dogs, a Labrador and a mix-breed dog. Both dogs were fine and were turned over to Animal Control, police said.

Man Pulled From Lake In Arvada

Another ice rescue occurred in Arvada.

Police said a man was walking his dog near a lake when the dog suddenly ran out onto the lake to chase some birds. The owner went after his dog and both fell through the ice.

Rescuers arrived as the two were halfway back to shore and a dive team threw the man a rope and pulled him back to safety.

Both the man and the dog are expected to survive.

Police said the best thing a person can do in a situation like this is to leave the dog alone and call 911.

"Don't be fooled by the ice," Saunier said. "If your dog goes out there, it's best to leave them and call the fire department for rescue."