Skip to content
  • X

Subscribe

Magazine | Newsletters
  • Food & Drink
  • News
  • Culture
  • Style
  • Home
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Things to Do
  • Travel
  • Best of NoVA
  • Best Restaurants
  • Top High Schools
  • Best Salons & Spas Poll
  • In This Issue
  • Home
    • News
  • Firefighters Rescue Dog from Icy Embankment in Dumfries
two members of Prince William County Fire & Rescue pull a black lab to safety after she fell down an icy embankment
  • News

Firefighters Rescue Dog from Icy Embankment in Dumfries

Crews came to the aid of Shelby, a 10-year-old black Lab.

By Debbie Williams January 29, 2026 at 11:09 am

One local pup had a scary dog-day afternoon. Fire crews from Prince William County’s River Oaks Fire Station 23 responded Wednesday to a report of a dog needing rescue from an icy predicament.

The Fire & Rescue department posted on social media that a dog “had slid several hundred feet down an embankment near its home in Dumfries.” Crews arrived and confirmed that Shelby, a 10-year-old black Lab, would need assistance getting up the ice-covered hill.

The firefighters were able to rescue Shelby and return her to her grateful owners. Shelby appeared to be uninjured, but her owners planned to have her examined by a veterinarian just in case.

Shelby’s owners emailed the rescue team expressing their gratitude. They wrote the email from Shelby, saying in part, “You are an incredible group. … I cannot express how grateful we are that you were able to help with the rescue of our pup Shelby.”

Feature image courtesy Prince William County Fire & Rescue

Debbie Williams

Debbie Williams

Senior Editor

Northern Virginia Magazine Senior Editor Debbie Williams is a George Mason University graduate and longtime NoVA resident. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for a variety of nonprofit, lifestyle, and government publications, including for AARP.org and USA TODAY magazines.

  • Email
  • LinkedIn

Trending in NoVA

Two Virginia Schools Ranked Among Top 25 Public Colleges By ‘Forbes’

The 16 Best Weekend Events in Northern Virginia and DC September 18 to 20

Here’s the 2026 Peak Fall Foliage Prediction for Northern Virginia

Celebrate Oktoberfest at These 7 Northern Virginia Events

Our 2027 Best Salons and Spas Reader Survey Is Now Open

things to do newsletter

Our Top Stories In Your Inbox

Our newsletters delivered weekly.

Subscribe

Feeds

RSS Feed Follow in Feedly

You May Also Like

pumpkins on hay bales

NoVA Daily: Arlington Italian Restaurant Closes, Where to Pick Pumpkins and Apples in NoVA

5 Virginia Billionaires Make ‘Forbes’ 400 Richest in America List

rendering of interior of new Washington Commanders Stadium

Washington Commanders Hope New Stadium Will Be One of the Loudest in the NFL

  • X

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Internships
  • Terms of Use

Magazine

  • Magazine
  • Subscription
  • Newsletter
  • Back Issues

Talk to Us

  • Contact Us
  • Submit an Event
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Shopping

  • Subscription
  • Back Issues
  • Plaques
  • Realtor Client Gift Subscriptions

On Newsstands Now

October 2026 things to do this fall cover

Copyright © 2026 Northern Virginia Magazine

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Hey AI.