Large Animal Rescue - Literature review Example

Running Header: Large Animal Rescue Client inserts his/her name Tutor’s name Name of institution Course title Date of submission General information about Animal Rescue According to the Oxford English Dictionary, animal rescue entails freeing from confinement or a dangerous situation that may endanger the animal’s life. After saving the animal, it is then taken into a safe and supportive habitat. Animals consist of a variety of species with various characteristics and animal behavior. Big animals for instance need adequate tactics, techniques and appropriate training for one to perform a safe and apposite emergency rescue. Small animals may be rescued by applying the basic and simple methods and no big machines or equipment is required. In the contemporary world, safe large animal rescue is becoming very common. Animal owners maintain them for purposes of financial investment or as pets and thus it is very necessary to carry out emergency rescue in case of any problem. Some of the personnel involved in animal rescue include large animal and mixed animal veterinarians, wildlife and zoo veterinarians, vet technicians and those who respond to emergency situations. It is thus very important for this group of people to have basic rescue information which guides them about how to rescue animals in various situations while keeping their own safety as well as that of the animal under rescue. (Gimenez et.al 2008) It is very significant to obtain information to keep both the animal and the rescuer safe, gain instructions and appropriate procedures to be applied in various emergency situations and have enough information that takes care of a variety of animal species. Nevertheless, there are various methods employed in animal rescue such as use of sedatives and tranquilizers in case of a hostile animal. This is commonly used when handling wild animals because they ensure that the animal relaxes and becomes docile in order to make it easy for the rescue team to perform its job. Chemical restraints are also used in the same manner where necessary. Rescue knots and ropes are used in almost all situations that need rescue and of course specific equipment appropriate for various situations. (Orsini and Divers, 2002) In times of crisis for example natural disasters: tornadoes, floods, ice storms, or hurricanes, people become displaced and in need of temporary shelter. Our animals are no different and thus face various problems that pose danger to their lives. Many animals lose their lives especially the ones that are not able to self rescue and in places where he rescue teams lack access or the finances that may facilitate the rescue process. We have to find a way to work together with the animals in order to maintain coexistence. Due to the loss of habitat and exposure to human development; accidents, injury and entrapment are becoming increasingly prevalent. Working with wildlife that is in a threatening situation can be very dangerous and should only be done by trained emergency responders to protect not only the animal, but also the rescuer. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Some of the situations that pose danger to animals and thus the need to be rescued include horse barn fires, forest fires, animals stuck in the mud, water, floods and other situations. Helicopters are used in situations that deem necessary but human rescue methods are the most commonly applied such as the vertical lift, backward drag, forward drag and sideways drag. The human methods are however used together with necessary materials and equipment such as webbing, sedations and rescue glides. In the application of any method mentioned in any appropriate situation, it is prudent to consider the safety of the animals under rescue. The rescuers should also put their lives safe because there is a potential for injury when carrying out such risky rescue operations. (Orsini and Divers, 2002) Animal Rescue when animals in water (floods) When an animal is trapped in water, the rescue process should be very swift to reduce the risk of a fatal incident. Flood incidents are associated with heavy rains which may cause mud flows and landslides. Consequently, working around water may be very dangerous to both the animal and the rescue and thus it is very prudent to understand well water related animal behaviors. To avoid drowning, the animal should be kept calm since anything that may scare it may lead to death automatically especially if the waters are deep. In deep waters, airlifting by a helicopter is the most appropriate method since human beings may not be able to cross the deep waters. Also, in case the animal is big in size, it may prove futile to try to lift it out of the emergency situation. Helicopter rescue is safe for the animal and the rescue team. Additionally, a vertical lift can be done if the scene is accessible in regards to the machinery used in the process. The animal can be lifted from the flooded area and then moved to a safe place by using the rescue glide if the animal is not able to move. (Orsini and Divers, 2002) Since animals can take part in self rescue, it is a bit easier to rescue them especially where the ground is higher around the area of incident. In rescuing cattle, one may put hay to the high ground location and wait until the waters go down. In case the waters continue going up, use coordinated resources to corral the animals especially cattle and drive them into a near barge that may allow for loading the large animals in preparation for transportation to a more secure place. If the animal is unable to move, webbing can be done carefully while avoiding webbing the parts that may be injured easily and then pulling the animal onto a rescue glide. The animal is then moved to a safe place for examination. It is good to leave the animal to rest after rescue such that it can gain back the lost energy. In case there is no movement observed as the animal rests especially the head area, medical attention should be done immediately as well as appropriate medication. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Some rescue teams employ a simpler method of driving the animals to swim across the waters to a safer location. This is very dangerous because the waters may be deeper at various points which the rescue team may not be aware of and it may result in drowning the animals. It is therefore advisable to remove the smaller animals such as calves first and then directing the larger animals to swim while following the calves in case the waters are shallow. It is very important to carry out a survey to determine the depth of the water in all points before deciding to apply the rescue process described. Encourage the animal to employ its muscles to rescue itself after the obstacle that may hinder it from moving has been removed from the water. The rescuer should always aim at enabling the animal to extricate itself from danger. Webbing should be done appropriately especially when done under the soft skin areas of the animal. Damage may be induced if a rope is used roughly and thus ropes should not be used. The animal should then be pulled onto a rescue slide if it is not able to move. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Barges and boats may be very significant in getting the animals out of the water or flooded areas instead of attempted swimming rescues that may be difficult and dangerous especially where large animals are involved. The animals that are known to be loose should be contained to reduce complications during the rescue process. The calm animals may be captured individually by using a halt and a lead rope because these animals are easy to halter and lead to a safe location. Horses transport incidents. Automobile accidents are on the rise in today’s animal transport scene. It is thus very cumbersome to extract many animals that are trapped under a broken down trailer for instance. Many animals lose their lives if the rescue process is not done swiftly while others sustain bad injuries that leave them hurt for a lifetime. Rescue should be done very fast and the common method used is that of pulling the animals out or under that trailers which mostly poses danger to the animal’s life. The skin may come out thus injuring the animals more than the damages caused by the accident. It is thus very significant to use special equipment in the rescue process in order to protect the animals from further injury and move them safely. (http://www.tlaer.org/) In an accident, the process of rescue may turn out to be a disaster if the attendants are not qualified and do not possess the appropriate training. In case of panic, the horses may not be rescued timely. Moreover, accident scenes are characterized by blood stains and faces which may make the place slippery resulting into injury of or death of both the animal and the rescuer. The rescue chain needs essential training to ensure comfort and safety during the rescue process. Prevention is better than cure as the saying goes; therefore, it is prudent to carry out constant preventive maintenance checks of the trailers and vehicles that transport animals. Owners as well as operators of such vehicles should have adequate equipment that ensures safety when moving animals from one point to another. This includes float safety, driving safety techniques, maintenance and resources for drivers. (Orsini and Divers, 2002) In case animals are involved in an accident during their transportation, the first move is to remove those animals trapped under any heavy material carefully to avoid more injuries. The animals are then transferred to a safer location where medical attention is given immediately. Animals that are not able to move can be put on the moving glide and then carried to a safe place. Animals that have not been injured deeply may be assisted to self rescue to a safer place. All in all, avoid slippery places since it may result in more injuries to the animal under rescue as well as the person handling the animal. Avoid places covered with blood, water or even feaces that may accelerate further accidents. Webbing may be appropriate for animals that fight back because of the psychological disturbance caused by the accident. Sedation may also be applied in the same situation before webbing the animal, although the medical status of the animal has to be analyzed well before applying such rescue methods. However, animal owners and the transportation bodies should take necessary precautions when handling animals on transit. How to pull the horse from the front, back, and side by using some materials When pulling a horse forward in order to rescue it, allow the legs to be free so that the horse can apply the effort of their muscles to move to the front either from mud, a ditch or a slippery surface. Three basic configuration methods are applied by the rescue teams which include: the basic or simple configuration, larks foot or cinch configuration and the Swiss seat or widener configuration. The front rescue done through the simple forward assist is very common in rescuing horses from simple emergency situations. However, it is important to note that for the rescuer to be safe, the position he holds during the rescue process should be at a reasonable distance from the animal. The animal may panic making the rescuer to panic too thus putting both the person and the animal at a risk of getting injured. It is also not advisable to pull the animal on the head because it is likely to fight back with an opposite reflex and may injure the person who is too close. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Sideways drag is commonly used when rescuing an animal that is stuck in the mud, trench, surface ice or a shallow ditch. This method assists in taking away the animal’s intuition by exerting much pressure on the chest and the abdomen by extricating it through the side. The two configurations involved in the sideways drag method which includes basic or simple configurations and the Hampshire slip configuration. The sideways drag is used after the animal has been sedated. After sedation, an animal is moved onto the rescue glide backboard through a sideway drag. This is applicable when rescuing large animals. It is however complex to place the animal onto the rescue glide and thus much cooperation between the rescue team is necessary. In addition, webbing is done to make the process much easier. This is done around the animal’s pelvic girdle. Even in the backward and front drag method, getting the animal webbed through flossing is the simplest technique. (http://www.tlaer.org/) How to lift an animal a vertical lift (horse) In rescuing animals through vertical lift, greater coordination is required in addition to advanced equipment and machinery. Most rescue teams consider it as the last option because it is generally a very expensive process. Therefore, the method is applied where it is extremely necessary. The procedure involves webbing the animal directly behind the front legs. A chest strap is also placed to keep the animal steadily in place. Another strap is webbed in front of the hind legs such that the animal is barred from attempting to escape. In this method, sedation is very important with close coordination between all the parties involved especially between the personnel handling the animal and the operator of the equipment used during the rescue process. (Gimenez et.al 2008) Some of the commonly used vertical lift method is the Becker Simple Web Sling and crane especially in the rescue of a horse. The animal is sedated in this manner to ensure that any injury to the animal is avoided as much as possible and to provide safety to the personnel carrying out the rescue process. This is because the method minimizes the struggling or kickbacks from the animal. The method can be very dangerous in situations where the animal is lifted up and then suddenly the animal sets down. The animal can be injured seriously as well as the handlers. A horse is a large animal that may present such multifarious challenges during its rescue. However, the animal may be removed from the simple entrapments that it might get into through the application of simple webbing, guidance and control halters and proper coordination of the personnel involved in the rescue process. The rescuer needs to manipulate the body of the animal successfully and even present chances for the animal to self rescue where possible. As already mentioned, injuries are minimized. (Orsini and Divers, 2002) Animal Ice Rescue In an ice rescue process, animals should be handled carefully because it is a very dangerous situation. The most common method used during ice rescue is the fish flop. It will be futile if the rescuer tries to make the animal stand up and get away of the emergency state. Ice creates numbness absolutely and thus makes the animal physically impaired and thus unable to stand and walk away. (http://www.tlaer.org/) In case of an emergency situation where human beings may be in danger in accessing the place, especially in deep ice, lifting the animal by a helicopter is advisable. This may reduce the risks of death which the animal may be facing if a much slow method is employed. Nevertheless, human beings will remain safe from the situation. Shallow ice calls for simple methods of rescue such as the front move, backside drag or sideways drag. The animal is first webbed and then moved to the rescue glide so as to get it out of the situation. These methods are significant when used in rescuing large animals. On the other hand, small animals can be rescued by carrying them out of the scene carefully to avoid and disaster. In case the animal is restless, sedation is important before carrying it out of the ice and then transferring it to a rescue trailer or vehicle. It is important to examine the animals immediately after rescuing them from ice since ice poses health risks to the animals. The animal may not be able to walk again if immediate medical attention is not given. Calves for instance should be subjected to warm an environment such that the animals are relieved of the numbness in the muscles caused by ice. Some walking exercises should follow thereafter to make the animal stand on its own and move normally. Check for any other injuries on the animal’s skin, muscles and body. Necessary medication should then be administered to improve the animal’s medical position. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Despite the numerous challenges involved in rescuing animals from ice, it is prudent for the rescue team to have adequate training as well as the necessary equipment used during the rescue process. It is also good to keep a safe distance to avoid any injuries. Large animals need enough personnel to pull the animal to a safe place. Rescue animals by using helicopters. Helicopters are used in rescue operations that entail animals in danger ore emergency situations in areas that are not accessible to human rescue methods. This involves forested areas, water bodies and dangerous areas. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Helicopters come in rescue in situations that seem impossible and they are viewed as media magnets which employ adequate slinging strategies and procedures that real work. However, the rescue process involves lifting up the animal from the emergency situation and it thus it is extremely dangerous to the people involved. Nevertheless, the method is very expensive. In a water state, it is impossible for human beings to get across the water body and therefore a good rescue plan entails air lifting the animal from the water in order to safe it without posing more danger and injuries by using less technical solutions. When applying the method of lifting by using a helicopter, prior proper animal spotting should be done such that the exact location is known. The helicopter is not supposed to land anywhere, but pick the animal swiftly from the emergency situation and then place it in a safer location. The helicopter operator should ensure that the animal remains calm by avoiding disturbing states. This means, the helicopter should not come down while producing some sound which may scare the animal and thus pose danger to its life. Silent air lifting should be done therefore to avoid drowning the animal especially while in water by scaring it. After safe extrication, immediate medical attention should be performed to check whether the animal is safe health wise. Helicopter rescue may also be appropriate in rescuing animals under transport that are involved in an accident. The rescuers may use a swift helicopter to move the animals to a safer location where medical attention may be offered appropriately. The method is appropriate when the animals are injured badly and thus need immediate medical attention. In case the animals are restless and tend to fight back, it is prudent to use sedations to keep them calm during transport. Better still, webbing may be done carefully to avoid injuring the animals before pulling them onto the helicopter for lifting. (Gimenez et.al 2008) Animal mud rescue Various methods are applied in rescuing the animals that are stuck in the mud. A mud rescue lance is one of the main equipments designed to rescue animals from the mud. This equipment is adaptable and long-lasting and it is used during animal mud rescue. It allows for easy, safe and quick animal rescue since it helps overcome the suction from the mud. Moreover, the rescue lance is made of various lengths and thus can be adapted to suit and kind or size of animal in the mud scenario. For a big animal like a horse stuck in the mud with the legs tightly held in deep muddy soil, the crew involved in the rescue should have adequate skills as well as important equipment to be able to rescue the animal. In order to pull the animal out of mud, a sling is used. The big animals weigh a lot of pounds ranging from 900 to 1500 which may be very heavy for the rescue team. Necessary equipment and enough personnel should be engaged in the rescue process to avoid posing danger to the animal and the rescuer. (http://www.tlaer.org/) Moreover, a small animal such as a calf does not need much equipment in conducting a rescue. However, calves or small animals generally need quick rescue response because the emergency situation leads to body instability which may make it to collapse or even die because of shock. The body shakes and eyes roll back because of intense fear. The rescuer hoists the calf and then gently pulls the legs out of the mud and spindles it onto his laps. Since the calf is lighter and easy to carry, the rescuer carries it to the place where the calf is cleaned up and given the necessary treatment and care until the time it gets back to normal health. When carrying out mud rescue, the rescue team should employ proper procedures because it is a very risky process that may pose danger to the animal handler. There is great possibility for the personnel carrying out the rescue mission to get stuck in the mud and it may be futile to free them from the situation. This may hamper the rescue mission process. When rescuing large animals such as the horse from mud, it is important to stay from away from the area of disaster and employ appropriate tools. When a horse is stuck in very deep mud and the mud is sticky and clingy on the animal’s legs, it is often dangerous and needs great care in carrying out the rescue process. Vertical lift can also be used to lift the animal from the mud onto a waiting trailer. Much precaution should be taken when applying this method since there is great possibility of the animal coming down and injuring itself more and also injuring the rescuers who are closer to the spot. The method is also appropriate where the animal is big and may not be movable by using simpler methods. Always, safety guidelines should be remembered when applying any method of rescue. (http://www.tlaer.org/) It is not advisable to dig the ground around the sticky mud because this will further burry the animal into the ground. Also, the rescuer should stay on top of the mud platform such that he is safe and in a harness with a safety line. Helmets and gloves are also very necessary as well as a lead rope and a halter tied on the horse for instance. A Nicopolous Needle is then used to push the animal underneath such that the forward assist is performed easily. A sideways drag is also made possible or a vertical lift in an attempt to rescue the animal. (Gimenez et.al 2008) During the rescue, the hot zone should be occupied by only one person, that is, the platform covered with mud. The other team members hand him the necessary items and also ensure that the rescue environment is clear. A vertical lift is appropriate after an adequate air insufflations or injections into the sticky mud which breaks the vacuum effect of the situation. Animal rescue incase of fire In cases of fire emergencies, it is very important for the rescuer to act hastily because fire destroys much within a short period of time. Nevertheless, even if the animals manage to escape death, they are usually left with lung damages because of inhaling the smoke. Where hay is commonly used, the barns are prone to fire because it provides loads of easily flammable materials which may ignite in case of any electrical ignition, cigarettes and lightning. Even poorly treated hay can self ignite and cause an emergency. (Loveman & Bernard, 2005) In case of barn fire, which indicates that the animals are in an enclosed area, the rescuer should avoid going inside the smoke field structures and instead inform the fire department immediately. The main thing is to drive the animals away from the burning site to a safe distance and place. It is important to note that the animals should be secluded in a fenced area because the animals may run blindly and get injured in the process by hitting objects or even be hit by a vehicle. The rescuer should remain safe always by avoiding instances of being injured by the anxious or nervous animal. For instance, blindfolding should not be used unless it is very necessary because the animal may react because of fear and injure the one handling it. Additionally, there may be other items in the barn which may seem invaluable, but the rescue should give the animals the first priority and avoid attempting to rescue non living things because it is not necessary. (Gimenez et.al 2008) For fire rescues to be easy and fast, the buildings meant for animal rearing should be designed with two doors such that animals may be released through another door in case of any emergency. It is important to have access to the outside or a run out fire lane which may allow the animals to be chased out easily and be led to a fenced field. For horses, it is prudent to have a halter on the horse so that the handler can be able to control it. Moreover, lead ropes should be available so that the rescue gets them with much easy whenever a need arises. All the doors should remain open throughout the rescue process and also all objects should be removed from the way to avoid tripping over or reducing blockages. Animal owners are advised to make it easy for the rescuers and emergency responders to find and extricate their animals by placing all the requirements within the barn for instance. (Loveman & Bernard, 2005) According to Zajackowski & Wheeler (2002), large animals often create challenges foe extrication form the emergency situation of fire. For effective rescue procedures with limited hazards, a combination of various strategies is employed such as alarm use, suppression and detection, response techniques and appropriate technological appliances. For animal owners, it is important to design structures and facilities which may allow animals to self rescue in case of a fire emergency. A large fire run out is also very significant to avoid effect of smoke by minimizing the time and exposure to potentially dangerous situations. With such constructions, it is possible for the animals and the rescuers to remain safe throughout the rescue process. Conclusion It is clear that various methods are applicable in the multifarious emergency scenarios. However, the methods are supposed to be applied by trained personnel who have attained good command and comprehension of emergency incidents used by the professional responders. This is important because it guarantees the victim under rescue the best standards of care and control. The attendants during the rescue process thus must have adequate education that will enable them to analyze large animal behavior, how to handle animals in stressful situations and medical and veterinary aspects of response to situations of emergency and disaster. A situation may be complex or simple and thus determine which method may be appropriate. For instance, a helicopter rescue is appropriate where other methods may not be possible especially in deep waters, ice or ditches. It is also appropriate in handling large animals. (Gimenez et.al 2008) It is invaluable to note that during the rescue process, the rescue should avoid attaching things to the head, neck or legs with the aim of pulling the animal because it may pose danger to the animal under rescue. Attachments to these body parts can be done only with enough guidance as in the use of a halter for horses. In case legs are used as in the dorsal recumbent, webbing and padding should be done to protect the delicate parts of the legs and avoid peeling of the skin. When carrying out manipulation of the animals, webbing is the most appropriate instead of tying the animals using ropes which may injure the animal. As a rescue attendant, it is good to consider webbing with a large and flat surface area in order to reduce injuries on the skin or on other delicate underlying structures. It is also advisable to use the abdomen and the torso as the attachment points when carrying out any manipulation process. These parts of the body have muscles and bone structures which will protect the delicate structures such as the nerves, blood vessels, tendons and ligaments that exist right beneath the skin. (Orsini and Divers, 2002) Besides, the tail should be avoided and should never be used when carrying out any form of mechanical manipulation. The tail is used only when manually moving the recumbent horse. This is for the basic reason that a tail is a very delicate organ which may be easily injured, broken or even amputated traumatically if excessive force is applied while pulling. Nevertheless, when an animal is relaxed, it is easy to control. Use of blindfold while it is in recumbent may be appropriate because it helps protect the eye especially the downside one and also relax the animal. In any case, legs should always be left free as well as the head and neck. This allows for free movement of the animal such that it can be able to get up and assist itself in moving out of the entrapment. Moreover, the animal can be able to obtain a body balance and thus make it possible to self rescue. (Gimenez et.al 2008) Finally, any kind of sedation or anything meant for anesthesia should not be applied on any animal before adequate animal medical evaluation. This is significant because the medical status of the animal under sedation or anesthesia determines its behavior and thus may prevent any potential injury for the animal or the person involved in the rescue process. It is noteworthy that animals are extremely terrified when in a situation that poses danger to their lives and mostly they tend to respond in various ways. It is thus very important for the rescuers to be at a safe distance when handling such animals. The animal may also be scared by the presence of human beings around it and thus response by kicking around as a defense mechanism. It is prudent thus for rescuers to remain safe while carrying out the rescue process. While using methods such as the vertical lift, it is necessary to keep a safe position since the animal may come down and injure a person is right beneath it. The personnel carrying out the rescue are advised to stay at the side to eliminate any potential disaster that may arise in case of any accident. References Gimenez, T., Gimenez, R. & May, K. (2008) Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue. Wiley-Blackwell Publishers. Loveman, L. & Bernard, R. (2005) Making your Horse Barn Fire Safe, New York: Humane Society of the United States. Orsini, J. and Divers, T. (Eds) (2002) Manual of Equine Emergencies 2nd ed. W.B. S. Zajackowski, S. & Wheeler, E. (2002) Fire Safety in Horse Stables, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension. Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue training information retrieved on 19th April, 2012 From http://www.tlaer.org/. Read More