(HURON COUNTY, ON) - When you work in emergency services you just never know what may unfold during your shift. Officers are highly trained and skilled in a variety of areas however "Rescuing Animals 101" isn't on the course syllabus at the police academy.
With that being said, officers from the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment have on several occasions been pressed into duty to handle calls involving domestic and wild animals. In the last few weeks Huron OPP members have been involved in two notable animal related occurrences.
On Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at approximately 10:40 a.m. Huron OPP responded to the Maitland River in Goderich to assist a dog that was struggling mightily to stay above the water surface.
Upon arrival officers located the completely exhausted dog on a small island. Fearing the worst, the officers entered the river and made their way over to the island and carried the dog back safely to shore. He was then transported to a local veterinary hospital where he was treated for exhaustion.
It turned out "Tex", a 14-year-old border collie mix, escaped the family home in Goderich when a door was inadvertently left open. A social media post helped in reuniting Tex with his owners.
Please see attached Photo of Tex being rescued by Constables Chris Arnold & Megan McDougall.
Not to be outdone, Provincial Constables John Hyrsky and Ron Klassen were involved in their very own unique rescue operation. On Sunday, June 24, 2018 officers Klassen and Hyrsky responded to the Rotary soccer fields located at the Goderich-Huron YMCA after learning a snowy owl had become entangled in a soccer net.
Upon arrival officers carefully freed the extensively entangled owl from the goal net. Upon freeing the owl it quickly became apparent the animal had been injured and was not capable of flying. Contact was made with Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Centre and the animal was transported to their facility for care.
After receiving expert care and rehabilitation, the snowy owl was released back into the wild on Friday, July 6, 2018 at Point Farms Provincial Park.