Sno Co search and rescue sucks, can't save a dog

[shapp]

Based on my conversation with the rescuer the dog was a yellow lab or golden retriever about 70 or 80 pounds about 100 to 120 feet down, with another 60 or 80 feet of nasty vertical cliff below and I think that some heineous death river/water course was below that. The rest of the story goes that the rescuer showed up at about 3:30 or 4am cause he couldn't sleep worring about the dog on th ledge. He wanted to go right away when first told on sunday night. the rangers or who ever didn't want to get there until 7 or 8 am. Anyway he goes up to find the dog with the rangers directions, but directions are wrong. Soe me makes several exporatory raps and jugs before the rangers finally show up and they get to the right spot. Then he raps down and the dog freaks when he gets close and jumps off the ledge, but catches his leash on some sort of snag or protrusion and the dog is being hung in the air by the leash. For some reason the rope barely makes it (figure 8 tied in the end, I think the rope was a heafty but short static line, not a standard 50 meter rope). Anyway, bottom line is the rope barely makes it to the leash snag, but he can't actually reach the dog and with not time to re-rig cause the dog is hanging himself he grabs the leash and hand over hand pulls the dog up to him. Then he quickly throws a but bag around the dog and clips him off, the whole time the dog is totally freaking. Also, the people up top can't communicate cause of the loud falls/river. Basically he dude nuts up and jug hauls this freaking out mutt like some kind of haul pig on crack. He said one of the hardest things he has ever done. Kid that lost the dog and parents ect. were up on top to retrieve their 4 legged family member with much joy and I expect a lot of tears.

[knelson]

Another issue is will the dog be cooperative. ...

 

Exactly. Rescuers - of humans - need to plan for the possiblity that their rescuee will be combative... putting themselves and the rescuer in danger. People under stress do some bizarre things. And these are people who you can communicate (hopefully) in English to.

 

Now think about this with a canine that you can't communicate with, who has no clue as to whether you're friend or foe.

 

Glad to hear the pooch got rescued by someone, but again... seems pretty crappy to be pissing all over the search and rescue folks for not doing something they didn't sign on for.

 

-kurt

[shapp]

So Kurt,

 

Assuming you weren't a climber and didn't happend to know any climbers personally, how would you have handled the situation. From what I understand the rangers happened to get luck and knew a climber, who knew a nother climber that could go and help. From you posts, I assume that A) you are not a dog lover, possiblly you were bit as a child, B) you are on the search and resuce squad and you are trying to justify not going out and saving the dog cause you don't think it is worth the time. So is it just good bye to old fydo in your book or what? I mean this stuff happens, the kid just lost a hold on the leash and the dog jumps off the cliff. Do you have no sympathy or what?

[Dru]

Why should a dog that jumps off a cliff be rescued. Let Darwin take its course.

[iain]

That is an interesting situation. If I was the team I would compromise by setting up a rope system and attaching the willing hero guy to the end, wearing two pairs of carhartts and a flak jacket, give him an frs radio, lower him (so he has both hands free, way safer than rapping), let him bag the dog, then raise him with a mech adv. system. Only the guy who wants to risk it is exposed to the danger, and the op is done in a much safer style than what looks a little out of control outlined above. Of course some serious release forms would be tossed around if the sheriff is involved. Maybe that would work out. Rapping down to a crazed 80lb animal is hanging it out there a bit for sure.

 

What if it were an injured horse down there? Is it still a go?

[Kitergal]

Dogs = Children My dog is my child, and I would rappel down anycliff, anywhere to rescue her sorry ass!

[cj001f]

Do you have no sympathy or what?

I like dogs but shit happens. Sorry, not down with anthropomorphication.

[Chaps]

Being as I follow the Jain code of conduct, I'm certainly glad this little fellow was rescued. Way to go Darryl!

[iain]

Dogs = Children My dog is my child, and I would rappel down anycliff, anywhere to rescue her sorry ass!

 

There have been 4 dog rescues on Mt. Hood in the past year. If I remember correctly, all 4 also involved rescuing the dog owners who were trying to rescue the dogs. Interestingly, they were all in the same location.

[shapp]

Dru is a funny man, same could be said for climbers that get f-ed up in the mountains. Or people that get cancer, or aids, etc.

 

A few more notes for jain: radios were involved, but infortunately ran out of batteries, there was only one guy (the rappeler) that had any knowledge of rope work, so the rangers on top were useless, however, if the radios were working there was a haul bag and more rope on top. Unfortunately the dog jumping necesitated quick action.

 

Jain: Remember search and rescue would not go, sherif would not go, fire department would not go, parks department apparently did not have the capabilities. So your idea would have been great had one of these teams actually decided to help out. So who is supposed to take care of this? No one apparently cared except one dude! Actually 2 would have been there, but I didn't get a call.

[knelson]

So Kurt,

 

Assuming you weren't a climber and didn't happend to know any climbers personally, how would you have handled the situation. From what I understand the rangers happened to get luck and knew a climber, who knew a nother climber that could go and help. From you posts, I assume that A) you are not a dog lover, possiblly you were bit as a child, B) you are on the search and resuce squad and you are trying to justify not going out and saving the dog cause you don't think it is worth the time. So is it just good bye to old fydo in your book or what? I mean this stuff happens, the kid just lost a hold on the leash and the dog jumps off the cliff. Do you have no sympathy or what?

 

Shapp,

 

Wrong on both accounts.

 

I AM an animal lover and did have a dog, cat, hamster... you name it... as a kid. Until our local coyote got ahold of our cat, I had one of those up until recently. And yeah... at some point they all bit me, but what else is new... I probably deserved it! Would I do anything to save MY pet? You bet.

 

Would I expect anyone else to do anything to save my pet? No. Would I get pissed because someone wouldn't risk their own life (which the eventual rescuer did ) to save my pet? No.

 

What would I have done? Probably the same thing that it sounds like did happen... keep making phone calls and networking until I found someone that would help. Even though my posts might come across that way, I'm not sooooo cruel that I'd just shrug my shoulders, walk away, and say "oh well. that's that."

 

I know this stuff happens. A young woman was killed down near Enumclaw earlier this year after falling over a cliff while trying to rescue her pooch. The dog survived.

 

Even with all the emotional attachments, I still recognize that pets are just that - pets. And I will always value a human life over that of an animal any day. Guess it's a character flaw of mine.

 

-kurt

[shapp]

I guess that is the difference, I value all of my dogs lives as much as any person I have ever met. I think there are a lot of people that feel this way about about their horses, dogs, cats etc (may be not hamsters though)

[Dru]

Hamsters don't jump off cliffs - that's lemmings.

[Kitergal]

no, they just run for hours not going anywhere in the little ferris wheel looking things....

[knelson]

I guess that is the difference, I value all of my dogs lives as much as any person I have ever met. I think there are a lot of people that feel this way about about their horses, dogs, cats etc (may be not hamsters though)

 

Shapp...

 

You're missing my point. I said that I would do anything for MY pet. Just like you.

 

But I guess we differ when it comes to the expectations we thrust upon other people.

 

Before I had a kid, my pet was my kid... just as Marie commented. If I still had the little furball of a cat, it'd be like I had two kids. But which one would I rescue first, ya think.

[knelson]

no, they just run for hours not going anywhere in the little ferris wheel looking things....

 

The mental image of a hamster in one of those clear plastic globes running over a cliff, and splashing into a river below is now floating through my mind. Thanks.

[Kitergal]

the one you had longer!!

[iain]

Thanks for the info shapp. The deputy in charge for the sheriff will view these things from a calculating risk management stance. He is the one responsible for the safety of those involved, and he will take the fire if the dept is considered negligent when it comes to safety of those he assigns to rescue somebody.

 

I am not suggesting it was the right decision, but simply stating how the decision is made.

 

It does appear cold and calculating w/o being there. It is also easier to make when you are not looking down on a wimpering dog.

 

I have no knowledge of the ability of the high angle teams available in that area, but it sounded like a fairly straightforward pick (apart from the raging beast down below).

 

Sometimes a network of friends is the best thing to have. It's how the mountain rescue association came into being in the first place.

[Dru]

Anyways, the lemmings were pushed in that Disney film.

[Gary_Yngve]

Then he raps down and the dog freaks when he gets close and jumps off the ledge, but catches his leash on some sort of snag or protrusion and the dog is being hung in the air by the leash.

 

Shapp, you just answered your own question. The dog almost died during the rescue. Had the dog died, there could have been a lawsuit. Is SAR trained in animal rescue? No.

[Thinker]

Why should a dog that jumps off a cliff be rescued. Let Darwin take its course.

 

Darwin finished his course long ago. It's natural selection that continues on.

[Dru]

Well, if the dog had reproduced before it jumped, nat. selection would not occur. Neither would it occcur if the dog was spayed or neutered.

[catbirdseat]

This thread is drifting towards Spray.

[Dru]

Are you Sherlock Holmes or something?

[catbirdseat]

Yeah you're probably right. They made the right decision in leaving the dog to starve on the ledge.

Sno Co made the decision to cut their budget so they can't afford to rescue dogs. Perhaps you'll pay more taxes so they can increase the budget?

Coming back to this old post which I over looked. It shows that people still don't understand how SAR works. It is not provided by the Government and is not paid for by tax dollars. People often just assume it is. These are volunteers. They purchase most of their equipment out of their own pockets. A lot of it is donated or paid for by grants. The Sheriff's Department coordinates the call up of the volunteers. These people do what they do because they like helping other people. They endure all sorts of discomforts and risks for no pay. Cut them some slack.