An unsuccessful rescue attempt in the Southern US, as told by one of the responders.
On Monday, November 12, 2007, my crew went to stand by with the local fire department as they attempted to rescue a horse that was pulled into a large sink hole as it followed its owner through a field the previous afternoon. There was about a 12 foot drop to the bottom, and then the hole went back into a small cave formed by huge rock.
When we arrived on scene the horse had been in the hole twenty-five (25) hours.
I went down in the hole with another rescuer to get a better look at the situation and found the horse laying on it's side. The horse seemed to have given up.
Rescuers had attached a large strap around the horses mid section and, using a winch, attempted to pull the horse up and through the hole. Attempts were made to reposition the horse, but the lack of room in the hole and the fact that the horse had given up made it impossible.
After the horse had been in the hole approximately 31 hours the decision was made by the owners to put the horse down. A state Wildlife Officer did this.
I don't know if this horse could have been saved. But I DO know that the owner's fear of the expense of contacting a vet and the failure to call for help sooner lessened the horse's chance for survival. The fact that there was not a crew trained and equipped in large animal rescue nearby also contributed to the horse's death.
Like the rest of the country, when you dial 911 with an emergency, the fire department is usually dispatched to the scene. Horse owners need to make sure that the 911 Dispatch centers in their communities are aware of veterinarians who are available for emergencies as well as rescue crews that are trained in large animal rescue.
September 28, 2007 from Hampshire Fire and Rescue, UK
Hampshire firefighters responded to an unusual animal rescue on Tuesday, 25 September, which involved a Suffolk Punch, a very rare breed of horse, that had fallen into a small stream. At 19:49 Fire Control mobilised crews from Botley and Eastleigh, along with a Multi Role Vehicle and Hampshire Fire and Rescue's specialist Animal Rescue Team, to the incident on a farm in Curdridge.
It is no simple matter trying to rescue a horse from a muddy ditch, without injuring the rescuers or the horse. Once firefighters had made the scene safe, the trained Animal Rescue Team applied strops around the horse using the cold water flowing through the ditch to enable access underneath the horse's body. Specialist lifting techniques were employed to bring the horse onto the bank and away from the ditch, using the farmer's tractor with a fore-end loader.
The Animal Rescue Team worked closely with Animed Veterinary Group to assist the horse into the upright position, before he was stabilised by bales of hay, and thoroughly warmed up after his experience. Animed's on call equine vet administered painkillers due to the length of time that the horse, Senator, was laid on his side in the cold water.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service's Rural Safety Officer Anton Phillips, who supervised the rescue, stressed that the swift and expert recovery of the horse from the stream had prevented very serious consequences, which may have resulted in limb and muscle damage, as well as the failure of the horse's internal organs due to the sheer weight that was bearing down upon them whilst he was trapped in the ditch.
Phillips visits farms and equine establishments to offer free advice and guidance. He explained: "By visiting farms personally, I'm able to help owners be better prepared for any emergency that may occur. It also gives me the opportunity to equip firefighters with essential information about a farm before they arrive in order to tackle incidents more effectively."
From Alison Glass, Anderson SC Independent Mail, April 18th, 2007
An apparently blind and disoriented Shetland pony was stranded on an island Wednesday in the Saluda River before Anderson County officials rescued him. The swift water rescue of the pony, an effort that involved the exhausted animal being led across the river with a harness over its head, took about an hour, said Capt. Keith Bowman of the Anderson County Emergency Services department. Officials are not certain how long the pony, described as fully grown but weak, was on the island or how it got there, Capt. Bowman said. The animal at one point became stuck in mud in the river while crossing and rigging was used to assist with the rescue, the captain said. The effort involved people certified in swift water rescue, he said.
The water around the island was about 5 feet deep, said Ike Brissey, emergency services deputy director. The animal has received medical attention and did not suffer any major injuries, authorities said.
The Anderson Fire Department Technical Rescue Team and the emergency services officials worked together on the rescue.
"I base the success (of the effort Wednesday) on the way we trained," Capt. Bowman said.
Emergency services and Technical Rescue Team workers have trained together in the past on large animal rescues. But the effort Wednesday was the first actual rescue of its type involving a large animal that those teams have experienced, Capt. Bowman said. "You train as though it was the real event," he said. "It just proves that training is key."
From a story written by Jeff D'Alessio of The News Enterprise in KY, a two year old Belgian mare named Ruby fell into a 28 ft. deep cave.
With the help of a crane from Wise Contracting and a tow truck from Gold City Towing, Radcliff FD, Central Hardin FD, Hardin County EMS and Technical Rope and Cave Emergency Rescue (TRACER) pulled
Ruby to safety. It appears that Ruby had been grazing around the cave entrance, lost her balance and tumbled backward into the hole.
Holland Horses
The whole world has heard about the horses who were trapped for 3 days on a tiny piece of land in wind and rain in the Netherlands.
Apparently it had everyone mesmerized, watching about 100 horses huddle against the wind and having to watch 18 of them die. First firemen, then the Dutch army, tried to rescue them - both unsuccessfully. So 4 women on horseback rode out to the rescue.
The owner has been taken to court for allowing this to happen, because there had been a storm warning on the previous evening and he would have had time to get his horses in. The rescue was broadcast live.
From the Amity Observer, in Connecticut, and written by Terri Miles, Feb. 21, 2007.
Susan Frechette of Racebrook Road fed her [elderly]horses Slick and Ozzie at their normal evening snack time and then left for about an hour.
When she returned home, she knew something was wrong.
Ozzie was "screaming" from the fenced-in meadow and Slick was nowhere to be found.
She called the Woodbridge Police Department from her cell phone as she searched for the horse.
Officers Michael Blume, Joseph Kubik and Vincent Lynch were dispatched to the scene.
The officers saw the horse struggling in the water and immediately called for additional help.
Click here for the rest of this story.
From Corte Madera, CA Fire Dept.
This incident happened in June 2005. The Corte Madera Fire Department responded to assist with a horse in a residential swimming pool. Upon arrival, they found the horse with his head and neck out of the water, and the owner was comforting the horse. The horse apparently escaped from the pasture and it was attempting to walk across the pool on the pool cover. The cover tore, which caused the horse to fall into the pool. The torn pool cover partially wrapped around the horse's rear legs.
The Marin County Humane Society, the Marin volunteer large animal rescue group, and the owner's veterinarian were notified. Twin Cities Police Department also responded to assist.
After everyone was on scene, they decided to use a rope hauling system to assist the horse when he was led out of the pool. The veterinarian conducted a preliminary assessment, and he determined that the horse could move under its own power. A makeshift harness was placed on the horse, and he was led out of the pool, assisted by the attached ropes.
The most heartrending story to come out of the research for the book, Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner's Guide to
Large Animal Rescue, was about the mare in this picture. She was involved in a trailer rollover. Since no one on-scene
knew about LAR, a chain was wrapped around her tailbone and attached to a tractor. As she was pulled out of the wreck
her tail was ripped from her body. The result is pictured here. To compound matters, she was pregnant. She was kept alive
until her baby was born, then euthanized.
from Tino Medina, Supervisor, Animal Control, Harnett County, North Carolina
First off let me say, any additional training is always good. I was in the army before I worked here and always "being prepared" was drilled into our minds. So any additional training is beneficial.
When I first came to work in Animal Control, we were "dog catchers", now we are Animal Control and I believe the public realizes this. We handle livestock, wildlife, exotics and family pets in our every day business. We have come to realize as a nation, someone will have to handle these animals in disasters regardless if the disaster is natural or man made.
When I entered Animal Control, I never imagined needing to have Haz-Mat training to pick up animals but when livestock trucks turnover, did you ever consider the chemicals that can spill? We all know there are train tracks going past farms and some neighborhoods full of animals. Well, have you ever considered the chemicals being transported on the trains? The dog breeder who may have 40 animals on his property but also has a meth lab in the shed. These are all scary scenarios, but each one has been proven true in recent years. The only way to cope with the stress of handling these situations is training and readiness.
Click here for the rest of this story.
From the FARMERS GUARDIANarticle May 30, 2007 by Angela Calvert. The Farmers Guardian is the UK's biggest selling agricultural newspaper.
The equestrian industry has come together, headed by the British Horse Society (BHS), to launch the Emergency Services Protocol and Fund. This initiative is designed to ensure that equine emergency rescue cases are carried out within strict guidelines, by trained experts and under correct veterinary supervision to ensure that all victims have the greatest chance of survival. This national standard provides nationwide training for emergency services officers. The intention is to minimise the delays in injured animals receiving veterinary care, maximise the chances of a positive outcome for the animal and to ensure the safety of all those involved. The need for such a protocol became apparent from several widely reported incidents of horses dying slow, painful deaths, which could possibly have been avoided if different procedures had been carried out.
Click here for the rest of this story.
For more information, contact: BEVA, Mulberry House, 31 Market St., Fordham, Ely CB7 5LQ, visit the website, or send an email.