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msar-riders - [MSAR] Aggressive stray dogs

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Aggressive stray dogs
  • Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:05:52 -0700

As Irv says, it does not take much encouragement to get a horse to
face down even a pack of aggressive dogs, and stray dogs don't have
much clue what to do when their "prey" does not just turn and run.
On horseback just as if you were on foot, you should not ever turn
and run from a dog.

In the context of a SAR mission, a pack of dogs anywhere merits an
immediate call for professional help. In a wilderness area that
means a call to the responsible forest ranger or equivalent (who
should have been contacted already). Elsewhere that means a call
to the local animal control office.

This is the kind of situation that can be anticipated and discussed
in advance with your agency having jurisdiction. How do they want
you to handle it?

Also, if the mission is a search then the presence of one or more
domestic dogs running loose may be a clue to other evidence nearby.
We had a mission a few years ago in New Mexico where a woman died
suddenly of natural causes while hiking in one of our forests with
her dogs. No one knew she was missing until after other hikers
encountered the dogs and reported them.

Una Smith
New Mexico




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