Challenging dog rescue made more dangerous after BC government denies use of helicopter

Search and rescue was called this week after a dog got itself into trouble along the Cheakamus River near Squamish, B.C.

Brian Messer, his wife Andrea, and their dog Maverick were climbing along the Star Chek Trail when Maverick decided to go exploring.

Messer said Maverick was off-leash and went down an embankment toward the river and somehow got sucked in by the current.

“So we didn’t see this happen,” he said. “We only saw the aftermath. So when he didn’t come back on the recall, we went down and saw him in the water kind of way down ways.”

And as Kristen Robinson reports, the situation was made much more perilous by the absence of a key piece of equipment -- a helicopter, that rescuers say the B.C. government did not initially let them use.

#GlobalNews #bc #animals #animalrescue

[misterfunnybones]

All avoidable with a leash. Every recommendation from bear safety to general backcountry travel is to keep your dog leashed. This story should be about leash advocacy & not the lack of helicopter support for an unleashed dog.

[steves]

Maybe some people don't think the life of a dog justifies the cost of a helicopter...

[dawnj]

It would cost thousands of dollars to use the helicopter. I get why they didn't want to do it. I get it, I love dogs, but put your dog ON A LEASH YOU ARE NEGLECTFUL PET OWNERS!

[vonrock]

Helicopters are expensive to operate, did you offer them monetary compensation. blaming them shows lack of character.

[blueabattoir]

They should have hired a private helicopter.

[percypercy]

Get a leash, its cheaper than our tax dollars paying to rescue your dog

[lplt]

so you let the dog off the leash... hope they have to pay for the services

[CedarSam]

These irresponsible owners nearly killed their dog and put other people in danger because they were too lazy to put a leash on their dog. They shouldn't be allowed to have a pet if they don't care about its safety.

[MK-ccve]

How much money spent to rescue a dog? $5, 000? I hope the owners are billed for the rescue. They don’t get free veterinary care, they shouldn’t get free whoops we took the leash off and now need an expensive rescue.

[glenmcdonald]

Owners of a unleashed dog cause taxpayers to foot the bill 🚁 woof 🐶

[Timberland]

I thought this was an April fools day joke until I checked the date of the story.

[joedavis]

Maverick needs a cookie and some snuggles

[joept]

Lets waste taxpayers money because my dog is too cool to be on a leash.

[lynnforrest]

Thank-you Squamish SAR! ! ! Donate to support our search and rescue teams! ! !

[SaoirseAnthony]

Why wasn't the minister available? Off somewhere wasting tax money NOT working???? Avoiding accountability???

[SaoirseAnthony]

I don't know what I'd do. I probably wouldn't be here. Dogs can risk and give their lives for us but the government won't do the same for our most loyal friends. I would have gone in. Pitch black, I don't care. I would have to try. I am so grateful this ended well.

[semiramis]

My last ride in a helicopter was in 1994 on business and that cost $1000.00 per hour. I can't think it's any cheaper now, so unless the dog owners were willing to foot the bill I think the government made the right choice about the allocation of taxpayer resources

[SaoirseAnthony]

THANK YOU TO CN RAIL AND SAR. NOT THE GOVERNMENT!!! THAT'S THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FOR YOU.

[erinrow]

A leash would have prevented all of this. Love my dog. So I keep her on a leash always. Sorry folks, but rescue equipment needs to be kept ready for emergencies, not bad choices.

[waynemillard]

Shame on Ma! She has no business being a minister.