Search and rescue members team up to save dog caught in snare
"According to the most recent update we received from the vet, they have removed the snare and will monitor the dog's leg to see if blood flow returns or if the leg needs to be amputated."
Two hikers hiking in the Little Falls Nature Reserve discovered a light-haired German Shepherd mix caught in a snare on January 4 and decided to assist.
According to Andreas Oberlechner of the Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch (RNW), they received a call on Wednesday morning requesting assistance in searching for and rescuing a suspected lost dog trapped in the reserve close to the waterfall.
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BCI Security responded to the call and searched for the dog; however, the responders were unable to locate the dog due to the thick brush, but they continued to track the dog. Warrant Officer Reinier Henning and Warrant Officer Bertus Venter of the Police’s Search and Rescue West Rand K9 Unit, Absolut Security and members of the Honeydew Community Police Forum were also on scene to assist with the rescue.
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The two hikers, Garith and his brother Cameron Gouws, spotted the male dog caught in the snare while looking for nearby caverns and notified the RNW, who upon arrival determined that the best course of action would be to keep the snare in place until the dog could be examined by a veterinarian.
“The snare cut too deep into the dog’s right hind leg and needed to be removed surgically,” Herman Coetzee, from BCI Security, explained.
Climbing down cliffs, crossing rivers, and navigating rocks and boulders while carrying the dog were all part of the journey back to the car. The group made the decision to take the dog, lovingly named ‘Little Falls’, to a nearby vet, where its injuries were treated.
“Its leg was cold to the touch after becoming entrapped in the snare. This was one of the reasons we decided to leave the snare in place until a vet could examine the leg and safely remove the snare,” Oberlechner elaborated. They couldn’t confirm proper blood circulation in Little Falls’ leg, so there was a high risk of further injuring it by removing the snare carelessly, as toxins or blood clots could have been present in the leg.
“According to the most recent update we received from the vet, they have removed the snare and will monitor Little Falls’ leg to see if blood flow returns or if the leg needs to be amputated,” he added. A group of Northsiders generously offered to help with his medical expenses. At this point, they have not located his owner.
