A dog has died after falling through an icy pond in Cary on Wednesday morning.
Authorities said the dog fell through a thin layer of ice at retention pond near 111 Burlingame Way.
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A neighbor told WRAL that the pond is on private property, and the owners have been worried that children would go on the ice.
But on Wednesday it was a dog from the neighborhood that fell in. A person saw the animal fall and called for help. Firefighters were able to get the dog out of the water, but the animal did not survive.
Dr. Brad Waffa, co-founder and chief medical officers at Truss Vet, said it is an unusual way for a dog to die.
"We do sometimes see animals that are hit by cars, unfortunately, or that will run out onto a pond that is covered in snow or a thin layer of ice and would have no idea that it's as dangerous as it is," he said.
The more common winter weather injuries for pets are paw injuries or broken nails when an animal slips or licks their paws raw because of something irritating," Waffa said.
The dog owner spoke to WRAL News over the phone, saying the loss was traumatic for him.
It's crucial to remember that though ice seems solid enough to our eyes, looks can be deceiving. WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said that any ice less than three inches thick is not enough to put any person or thing on top of without breaking.
"We don't get consistently cold enough temperatures where you can walk on ice safely," Waffa said.
It's at least the third accident on a frozen body of water since the North Carolina cold snap began.
On Saturday, an 11-year-old child fell into a pond at Womble Park in Holly Springs. A police officer was nearby and was able to pull the boy from the icy water after about three minutes.
In Cary on Sunday, a 10-year-old boy fell in a pond and the man who tried to help him also ended up in the water off Caniff Lane. Both survived after firefighters were able to pull them out with a rope.