The summer season usually brings with it a spike in cases of humans needing rescue from bodies of water. But a recent incident in Rockbridge County, Virginia saw valiant first responders turning their efforts towards a dog named Bear.
The strapping, eleven-year-old pooch managed to get himself stranded on a cluster of rocks near the James and Maury Rivers.
But the Special Operations unit of the Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department stepped up to whisk Bear back to safety.
A Brave Rescue For Bear
When Bear was first spotted, he appeared to be in a very stressed and exhausted state, according to the Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department, which also posted news of the rescue to Facebook.
With recent rainfall raising the level of water in the river, rescuers made the decision to swim out to Bear rather than risk startling the pup back into the water.
Thanks to the use of a personal canine flotation device, the rescuers reached and secured Bear. Then they moved him to a safer spot back on the shore via a paddle vehicle.
“I’m sure some of you wonder why such a high risk for a canine, but here every life matters and to a lot of us, pets are like our children,” posted the Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department to Facebook.
“Recently six of our technicians completed an Animal Swiftwater Rescue Class to handle situations such as these and it’s proving its worth.”
Remember These Tips To Help Find Lost Dogs
(Picture Credit: Niklas Plessing/Getty Images)We’re glad that rescuers got Bear to safely. However, he’s far from the first canine to wander off for an adventure and find themselves in trouble.
If you’re unfortunate enough to find that your own dog has somehow escaped, remember these helpful tips to improve your chances of being reunited:
- Keep your dog’s ID up to date, ideally on a microchip and tags.
- Make sure to call local shelters and rescues and give them a description of your dog.
- Post to local social media rescue outlets such as Facebook groups and Instagram accounts.
- Post up effective and clear lost dog posters.
Are you happy to see Bear safe and sound? Do you have any tips for keeping dogs from wandering off? Let us know in the comments section below!
