Typically when you see a rescue team carrying someone on a stretcher down a mountain, it means something pretty bad has happened. When The Lochaber Mountain Rescue team climbed back up carrying a hiker on a stretcher on August 15, 2022, fortunately caused by pain only in the foot.
While on the Ben Road in the Lochaber Mountains in Scotland, a 77-pound (35-kilogram) dog named Maggie suddenly reached his limit and refused to continue. It took two men and a stretcher to get her back.
Maggie’s Rescue
It was a hot August day, so the rescue teams had full hands to assist the tourists. This call was something a little different for them.
“With everyone enjoying the scorching heat in Lochaber yesterday, the team attended up to five phone calls. The first four screams ranged from broken bones to heat-related illness, with the fifth casualty of the day slightly more severe than usual,” said Mount Lochaber Rescue Team. post on Facebook.
The three women hiking with Maggie tried to help her keep going down, but Turkish Akbash will not budge. They tried to carry her, but it was difficult with a dog of that size not exactly helping you.
Fortunately, because they knew who they were going to save before they arrived, the rescue team was fully prepared.
“A stretcher party, complete with a person taking care of the victim and handling with sticks, was dispatched to assist. After Maggie is put on a stretcher, she can be taken down the hill to get a well-deserved rest. “
Don’t worry – She’s fine!
Maggie couldn’t (and wouldn’t) go another step, but thankfully she wasn’t unconscious, scared, or seriously injured, so her pick-up was more of a courtesy than an emergency call. Team leader Donald Paterson later told the BBC:
“[Maggie] there are a few cuts to [her] feet, but I think with heat and pain [she] decision [she] did not go further. “
However, who knows how long Maggie and her companions will be trapped there if the rescue team doesn’t come to their aid?
“The owners have been struggling and would have certainly been there all night if they hadn’t gotten any help,” notes Paterson.
The The Lochaber Mountain Rescue team works hard to save lives, and although they don’t have to go out to help a dog on such a busy day, they really want to. That is amazing.
RELATED: Dogs Who Collapse From Exhaustion During Hot Hiking Are Saved
All that said, it’s best for dog parents to know what activities their dog can handle (weather dependent) and to be aware of the signs of exhaustion. Learn more about safe hiking with your dog here.
Featured pictures: Facebook
