Mississippi Fisherman Wins Catch of the Day by Saving 38 Hunting Dogs from Drowning
Earlier this month, 38 hunting hound dogs chased a deer into Grenada Lake in Mississippi and almost drowned until three fishermen came to the rescue. The 38 dogs were taking part in a fox hunt, but got distracted and followed a deer right into the water. The dogs became disorientated and exhausted paddling in circles until the fishermen saved them.
The dogs were at least one mile off shore and had been treading water for at least 45 minutes according to news reports.
The Associated Press reports, "They weren’t going to survive, either, Gist and the others realized — unless someone acted right away. The insurance agent from Jonesboro, Arkansas, along with friend Brad Carlisle and guide Jordan Chrestman, headed over in their small boat.
“There were dogs everywhere,” Gist said. “They were kind of swimming in circles and didn’t know which direction to go.”
As the dogs’ frantic owners watched from the shore, the three men started grabbing whatever dogs they could. There were too many to all fit on the bass boat, so three trips to shore were needed.
Related: Firefighters Rescue Drowning Pup from Frigid Lake Superior
The news report also states that some of the dogs were so exhausted they had to be lifted out of the water. Thank goodness these three fishermen were able to save these dogs!
Why It Can Be Dangerous To Rescue a Drowning Dog
Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock
Because the above hero fishermen were in a boat, attempting this rescue was different from someone swimming to the middle of a lake to save a dog.
Attempting to rescue a drowning dog can be extremely dangerous for both the dog and the person attempting the rescue. Dogs may become extremely frightened in these situations and struggle in the water, increasing the chance of both you and the dog drowning.
The most important thing you can do if your dog is drowning, or you see another dog drowning, is try and remain calm. Immediately call emergency services or animal control to report the situation and seek help from the professionals who are trained to know what to do in these situations.
You can attempt to find something on shore to help the dog, like a flotation device, stick or something else for them to grab onto while you try and coax the dog to swim to safety.
Dog parents should teach their dog to swim so in case something like this does happen, your dog will know how to either stay afloat or swim to shore.
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