A neighbor is being credited for raising the alarm that saved a chocolate Labrador retriever from an icy lake in Steuben County on Wednesday morning.

Orland Fire/Rescue was called to the Lakewood Mobile Home Park east of Barton Lake about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, donning ice-rescue suits and slipping into the icy lake to save the dog, named Sampson, according to a statement from the Orland Community Volunteer Fire Department.

It said area resident Tim Willms told them he "heard a dog barking like it was in trouble" and went searching for the animal.

He saw it across a portion of the lake and called 911.

Orland authorities said that if Willms had not been aggressive with his search and call to Steuben County 911, that the dog probably would not have made it out.

He told authorities he believed the dog had probably been in the water for at least 45 minutes.

The dog was wrapped in a blanket and carried to the Orland rescue unit, where it was warmed up and dried with towels. The owners of the dog, who live in Michigan north of Orland, were notified and came to get the animal.

Also assisting were the Orland town marshal and Steuben County EMS.