A lake outing turned deadly for a dog in Nevada over the weekend, when it drowned after it was pulled into a drainage whirlpool.
Nevada’s News 4 first reported the story about the chocolate Labrador named Kumi who jumped in the water to fetch a stick on Saturday and was pulled into a whirlpool — seen in the video above, obtained by the station — which drains water from Topaz Lake, a man-made reservoir, into the Walker River.
The dog’s owner, who hasn’t been named, told News 4 that it was unclear the whirlpool was a danger, despite signs attached to bouys that said no boats are allowed on the water. She believed the signs were due to the shallow water.
A spokeswoman from the Douglas County manager’s office tells PEOPLE that while they are responsible for the beach there — which doesn’t allow dogs off-leash — the Walker River Irrigation District has authority over the whirlpool drain.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident and the loss of the dog,” Melissa Blosser, the public information officer and community relations manager for Douglas County, said in a statement given to PEOPLE. “We immediately reached out to the owner of the animal to find out what happened and express condolences. We are working with Walker River Irrigation District to put out additional signage to warn people to stay clear of the area. We have never had an incident related to the drain in the past. Dogs are not allowed on the property without a leash for their safety and the safety of others. We will continue to monitor the drain and work with Walker River Irrigation District.”
The Walker River Irrigation District declined comment about the incident to PEOPLE on Wednesday.