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LINCOLNTON — Lady, a 13-year-old Labrador mix, will likely spend the next day or so resting near the heater of her Lincolnton home.

It's a long way from where the dog was Wednesday morning: standing in cold, rushing water at the brink of a South Fork River dam.

"She's tired and exhausted," said Dwight Hartman, 48. "And at her age, she's lucky."

Hartman raised Lady for about 11 years, before the she began living with Hartman's neighbors.

A spooked Lady ran away Monday when neighborhood kids began firing black powder muzzleloaders in preparation for a New Year's celebration. Wednesday, Hartman saw a television news story about rescuers pulling a dog from the nearby river.

"I hollered, 'They got Lady off the dam,' " Hartman said.

For a half-hour Wednesday morning, Lincoln County rescuers braved water temperatures in the 40s, navigated hidden debris and withstood rushing currents to save the stranded dog that rescuers said was too scared to budge or even look at them.

How or when Lady got to the small rock surface overlooking a dam on the South Fork River is unclear, said Greg Lowrance, chief of the South Fork Fire Department and first rescuer to reach Lady.

Someone spotted her Tuesday night, but it was too dark and the water was too high to attempt a rescue, said Bill Summers, deputy coordinator for Lincoln County Emergency Management.

At that time, Lady was probably standing in several inches of water, Summers said.

By Wednesday morning the rock at the edge of the low-head dam was exposed. It sat at the brink of the dam and about 25 feet from shore. In between, water, some of it thigh-deep, poured over the edge.

"The chance of a successful outcome would not have been very good (if the dog fell in)," said Dion Burleson, spokesman for the Denver Fire Department.

Burleson, who videotaped the rescue and posted a portion of it online, called low-head dams like the one on South Fork River "drowning machines" because the force of the water can hold people under.

In addition, Hartman said Lady isn't fond of the water.

About 20 rescue personnel were on scene for Wednesday's rescue, with the South Fork Fire Department coordinating the effort. Responders included members of the local fire departments, animal control, emergency management and county communication office, among others departments.

Summers said six members of the Lincoln County Water Rescue Team entered the water, with some entering downstream in case someone was washed over the dam.

Lowrance said the team had discussed the possibility of securing a rope to Lady once they reached her, but because the dog was so docile they decided to simply pick her up and hand her off to each other as they walked back to shore.

When rescuers reached deeper water, they wrapped Lady in a blanket, mainly to keep her from squirming, Lowrance said.

Rescuers turned Lady over to Lincoln County Animal Services who took her to a local vet for treatment. David Workman, animal services manager, said she was healthy but suffered from low body temperature.

Lady returned home Thursday, where Hartman said she was recovering.

"As old as she is, it will take a good 24 to 48 hours near the wood stove to get warm," Hartman said. Researcher Marion Paynter contributed.