Flash, the wandering husky rescued from a frigid pond in St. Charles Township last month, has found his forever home in Woodstock.

Kate and Mitch Parisek adopted him days ago from Animal House Shelter in Huntley.

“I saw his picture on the animal shelter website,” Kate Parisek said. “I didn’t even know he was the dog that was rescued. He’s so handsome.”

The Pariseks’ son had a malamute named Cora. But when he and the dog moved out in October, she missed them.

“Then when I saw Flash’s picture, we just went to meet him and loved him,” Kate said. “He’s so mellow. When people come in, he’s very happy to meet them, he doesn’t jump up on anybody and doesn’t run around like a maniac. He’s really calm and has been so good. Last night, he had nightmares. He was crying in his sleep.”

Nightmares.

No wonder.

Flash fell through the ice in a pond in the 36W400 block of Hunters Gate Road in St. Charles Township, early on a bitterly cold morning Monday, Dec. 15.

Neighbors in the Crane Road Estates subdivision, whose houses back up to the pond, heard his frantic barking from the frigid water in sub-zero temperature and called 911.

Fox River and Countryside Fire/Rescue responded.

A firefighter, wearing an exposure suit, crawled out on the ice and picked up the dog while other firefighters provided support.

They took the soaking wet, freezing and terrified pup to the Dundee Animal Hospital of Elgin, where veterinarians stabilized him. Then he was taken to Animal House Shelter in Huntley where he became available for adoption when no owner claimed him.

The outcome of their dog rescue from the freezing pond was gratifying to Fire Chief Michael Hill.

“We go to bad situations and make them better,” Hill said. “We’re just so happy there was a positive outcome – first in his rescue and secondly, the longterm solution of him being adopted and having a loving family.”