Wednesday, April 13, 2016

A-Z of #Dog Rescue: The Dog Rescuer's Kit — #AtoZChallenge


No, nothing so dramatic. (I know. I was excited about the helicopter ride, too.) The truth is you don't require much to rescue a dog. In an emergency, all you'll need are your hands and a halfway working brain. (And none of the items below will be much use if you don't have those.)


Assuming you do have them, you can start thinking about getting these:

 BASICS 

The trusty noose leash. (Which I've been calling snare or lasso leash. The right name, Google informs me, is noose. Sorry about that.)
  • NOOSE LEASH. The sturdy, thicker weave makes it harder for a dog to chew their way loose. Plus, the snare slides smoothly, and the leather safety keeps it from sliding off (which would happen if you just use a looped regular leash).
  • REGULAR LEASH. Because... back-ups, dude. 
  • MAKE-FRIENDS GOODIES (aka bait). Use the irresistible stuff: sausage, liverwurst, cheese, bits of beef, etc. And remember to cut it into small, small pieces.
  • TOWELS. Truly the most useful of all possible aids. Towels have saved my rescuing ass so many different times, in so many different ways, that I couldn't begin to list them all. Beyond the obvious stuff (drying, protecting your car seats), they're great allies when dealing with skittish and/or biting dogs. Throw a towel over a terrified dog and s/he'll quiet down. Wrap one around the head of a fearful dog to protect you from bites (and him from hurting him/herself). Use as a stretcher to carry an injured dog into your car. Use as lining in transport kennels to provide better footing for your four-legged passenger. (Need I go on?) Old bedsheets work too, but, being thinner, offer less protection, and being larger, they're harder to handle fast and effectively.
  • WATER CONTAINER. And not just a water bottle. We're talking serious size here. You'll use this not just for the dog, if s/he's thirsty or needs rinsing, but also to wash yourself off. And the water needs to be fresh: you're storing this in your car, which—at least here in Curaçao—reaches pretty high temps, and plastic will leach chemicals into the contents.
  • DISINFECTANT & ALCOHOL. Stray and feral dogs carry all sorts of bacteria and microbes, and you won't know which ones, or, if they're sick, how contagious the disease might be, until a vet sees them. Better safe than sorry; you need to disinfect your clothing, your shoe soles, and your hands before touching, say, the steering wheel or the door handles of your car (as mentioned in the Health Issues post).

 TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER 


  • STURDY FOOTWEAR. No sandals, no flip-flops. You’ll need to run, and not necessarily along even terrain; you’ll be stepping into all sorts of shit (literally); you might need to go into brush and dead branches and thorns and…
  • DISPOSABLE GLOVES. You never know what you might need to touch.
  • GARDENING GLOVES. Optional, but they've come in handy for me a couple of times. (Mostly with bloodthirsty dogs.)
  • WATER & AN ENERGY BAR. You have no way of telling how long a rescue is going to take. It might be fast, or it might take hours. And, after all your efforts, the last thing you need is to lose the dog because you passed out in the heat.

I apologize for the gratuitous brand-name plug. (The red, half-eaten loop strap on the left shoe is brought to you courtesy of Duncan.)

 MORE OPTIONAL STUFF 


  • FOOD BOWLS
  • HAND SANITIZER
  • MUZZLE (in different sizes, or an adjustable one)
  • FRONTLINE SPRAY (or whatever your favorite brand of anti-tick and -flea spray is)
  • BABY WIPES (for hands, face, to wipe up spills...)
  • DOG FOOD (you might have a long wait at the vet, and you'll probably run out of your make-friends bait stash quickly, so a bit of kibble might come in handy)
  • SCISSORS and/or KNIFE (rescue often involves dogs who broke free of a rope, or who got tangled in fencing or brush)
My actual, real-life rescue kit.
(Wow. It didn't look like this much stuff all packed up and in the car.)

What about you? What do you use when (if) you rescue? What would you add to (or take out of) this list?

Thanks for the visit! Tomorrow's post is back to the tear-jerker stuff: The Link Between Love & Letting Go. If I promise to keep the melodrama at the barest minimum, will you come by for a quick peek?

30 comments :

  1. Quite the list. With all this, I think anyone could be equipped to rescue a dog.
    I like the many uses of the towel. Having a towel along can come in handy in many life situations, you never know when a Vogon ship might come passing by.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahahahahaha... Jeffrey, you know I didn't even think of Hitchhiker's Guide until you mentioned it? But YES, towels are immensely useful. (In all sorts of ways. And places. And planets :D )

      Delete
  2. Towels are the most useful in that comprehensive list simply due to their versatility. Great post!

    Susan A Eames from
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a comprehensive list. I'm happy to see that the humble towel, much beloved of galactic hitchhikers and, of course, naturists, has a place of prominence here, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, Keith, I never really thought about it, but the towel is one heck of a handy item—no matter where, or what, you are :)

      Delete
  4. Kinda glad for the change of pace. I need a Kleenex each time I visit this blog...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, Robin, I'm so sorry... I'll do better, I promise. And I'll start including a tear-jerker warning on the posts.

      Delete
  5. I would use a blanket too so they can sit on it and not the car due tithe dirtiness but also nothing else bad can get on the actual car. You covered everything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Birgit, that's an excellent idea! A blanket might work, too, for providing better footing, because of the cushion effect. I never even thought about it (it's so hot here that I don't think we even own a blanket), but it's a great idea. Thank you!

      Delete
  6. Valuable information. A kit to keep in your trunk always.
    Thanks for the warning to have tissues at the ready. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you liked this one, Yolanda... And I hope the L post didn't involve too many tears :)

      Delete
  7. Truly amazing posts you have so far.
    I'm blown away! Keep up the great work!

    Heather

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heather, thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying this series—and thanks a ton for the shares!

      Delete
  8. I've really been enjoying reading this information and watching your videos. Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to hear that, Dena—and thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  9. These are all really great. You have such an inspirational blog, I love it!! You are my hero. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, Sati, thank you! If any of this manages to inspire someone into helping a homeless animal (in whichever way they can), then I can die happy :)

      Delete
  10. Wonderful tips Guilie thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you liked this one, Susan! Safe travels, my friend :)

      Delete
  11. That's a thorough list. Do you also have a first-aid kit with cotton pads and bandages? I can imagine rescuers suffer cuts, scrapes and bites from time to time. Wonderful work you all do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a first aid kit at home, but will you believe I never—not once—thought about putting it in the car? Heaven knows it would've come in handy several times. Just goes to show where our priorities stand :D (But I've added bandaids, cotton, and micropore tape to my kit now. Excellent suggestion, Debbie—thank you!)

      Delete
  12. Fantastic list. There's so much here I wouldn't have thought of!
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It took me a few times (think months) to get the hang of it, Debbie... My face the first time someone asked me if they could borrow a noose leash must've been hilarious to see :D And just from the comments here I've already added two important items—blankets and first-aid stuff—that I never thought of before. Goes to show you that we never stop learning ;)

      Delete
  13. A very comprehensive list, and such an interesting topic. I don't know much about dog rescue so it's great reading your posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you found this interesting, Regina! You're not alone; tons of people have no idea about rescuing. Here in Curaçao I've met several who look confused when I mention I rescue dogs. "Rescue? Like... from the ocean?" :D

      Thanks for the visit!

      Delete
  14. Excellent list Guilie! Love the idea of the towel...

    Michele at Angels Bark

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha... The towel is, officially, the greatest invention ever :D

      Delete

No love like Dog Love--or Blog Friend Love!