Over the weekend, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue (SAR) personnel were called upon to rescue a horse that had become stuck in the mud. The successful rescue was made possible by recent animal rescue training and new specialized equipment.
On Saturday, May 5, 2018, at 8:07 p.m., dispatch received a call from a homeowner that the caller’s 22-year-old Mustang mare had become stuck in knee-deep mud near the barn. The owner tried for hours to free the horse, but he was unable to do so.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies and a team of 13 search and rescue personnel responded immediately. Search and rescue members included those with specialized skills in rope-assisted recovery and large animal rescue techniques.
Search and rescue worked in the dark to carefully stabilize the horse and pull her from the mud. The mare was tired after the hours-long ordeal, but apparently uninjured.
This rescue gave search and rescue a chance to use some newly obtained skills.
During the past year, some SAR members attended Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue training hosted by “Mustangs to the Rescue” in Bend.
Members learned how to rescue animals such as horses or other livestock in emergency situations. Search and rescue also obtained specialized equipment designed for such rescues, which can occur in everyday scenarios and disasters alike.
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