Rescued dog steals spotlight at Rockville Centre meeting

Teddy, the 90-pound Labrador mix rescued from the icy waters of Hempstead Lake last month, stole the show at the Feb. 6 board of trustees meeting in Rockville Centre.

He came in early with his owner, Mary Ann Nesdill, and was a tad noisy in his playfulness, but people, especially children there, ran to him.

Teddy, 3, who on Jan. 22 clung to a piece of ice, mournfully howling, for about 30 minutes before being rescued by tethered firefighter Daniel Leboff, seemed to know and like him and the three other departmental rescuers with whom he stood. They were being honored for rescuing the dog.

“We have a life vest on order for you, Teddy,” Mayor Francis X. Murray joked at the ceremony’s conclusion.