03/10/2020
My basic rescue kit
If you know me personally, you may know that I ran a dog rescue in Mexico for a very long time.
When we moved to Merced I slowed down on physical rescuing, focusing on other ways to help animals, BUT, I will forever carry a rescue kit in my car.
Last night on our way home, I spotted a small black lump on the pavement. I turn to Paul immediately "Is that a dog?!” He quickly veers the car back towards the road and just before we reach the scene the dog drags itself off of the road and onto the sidewalk. Paul parks the car on the road with the blinkers on and I hop out and grab our rescue kit, which at the time contained a leash and smelly treats. I had not replaced the towel since I had washed it last but we worked with what we had.
I take the small slip leash and approach the dog slowly. He is an older chihuahua mix with cataracts glazed over his eyes and white fur on his muzzle. He shivers quietly, watching us in shock. When I begin to approach, he scurries under the car, back onto the road. Paul blocks the side of the car facing the street, hoping to deter him from running back onto the road unprotected. Meanwhile, I lie down on the ground leash in hand and scoot as close as I can to the car. The dog is about halfway under the car and not making this any easier for us. His uneven gait, enlarged pupils, and general demeanor made it clear he had been hit recently. A car pulled up near us and asked if it was our dog, all the while I continued to try to coax the dog from under the car. The driver had hit the dog and had been trying to catch him since. I like having two leashes on hand, one to slip around a dogs neck and one to use as a muzzle but I had not replaced the leash that I had used last time either, so under the car I went, a single leash, a handful of treats and no towel.
As I inched my arm closer, I prayed under my breath, please don’t bite me, please don’t bite me…
I loop the leash over his neck quickly and then start trying to bring him out from under the car. He struggles and cries out, clearly afraid and in pain, but I could not let go and risk him getting loose again. I drag him out from under the car and pick him up gently in my arms. This would have been the moment for the towel, to wrap an injured and scared dog in, but we didn’t have that.
Thankfully he had a tag and we were able to bring him home, but not before he pooped all over my dress and jacket, my fault, no towel...
Motto of the story, make sure to have a towel, two leashes and treats at all time if you have ever thought about stopping for an animal. Those are the most basic materials to have in a kit thought I have some extra collar, leashes, bowls and more. In Mexico, when I essentially did rescuing full time I had a dog first aid kit I put together with the help of my vet to have ready in any situation.
If you need any pointers on putting a kit together or are a client or friend needing any materials let me know, I always have extra leashes and collars on hand I can give away for kits!
