Scrambling to the Rescue
It was only when our rescuer arrived on scene that he realised how difficult this rescue was going to be. The dog was nose deep in thick sludge and waste water, and, if he dropped down to lift the dog out, he wouldn’t be able to climb out of the filthy water himself, let alone with the 30-kilogram dog.
Thankfully, he had with him a leash and a large net with extendable pole and so worked out the safest way to get the exhausted girl out of danger. It involved scooting along the wall between the inlet and the holding pond and leashing the dog to help keep her head above water. But the idea of using the net from that position clearly wasn’t going to work: there was no safe spot to stand, and the net kept getting caught on rusty nails in the wall.
Lead to Safety
The only other option was to scoot backwards while pulling the dog towards the tiny waterfall of waste water and try to lift her out from there. Luckily, unlike 95 percent of the semi-feral dogs ACT rescues, this dog was friendly and cooperative, and she was keen to come with her rescuer. Once at the lip of the waterfall, he was able to get the net over her whole body and use it to pull her up to safety.
Her relief at getting to dry land was obvious, and she kept lying down and joyfully rubbing her head in the grass. Our rescuer let her rest often as they walked slowly towards the stairs in the far corner of the holding pond. Her legs were weak, and we have to wonder just how long she was stuck standing there trying to keep herself from going under.
Here’s the video of the entire rescue:
Bathed, Treated, and Reunited
The poor girl was safe now but clearly weak, exhausted, cold, and very stinky. We were very lucky to find a good vet that was open nearby even though it’s Chinese New Year here, when most businesses close for a few days. They were great and immediately rushed her in for a warm bath before being thoroughly examined. She was treated for dehydration, low blood sugar, and a mild infection.
We found the big old girl had a microchip, but the number associated with the chip number didn’t pick up despite repeated calls. It also showed her name: Oh-She. It was only because a kind follower of our Taiwan charity saw our posts about Oh-She’s rescue and realised she might be the same dog she had seen reported in a local Facebook group as gone missing two days earlier. She contacted the owner, who had been frantic with worry, and the gentleman and his dog were reunited this morning. Apparently, the number on the microchip belonged to another family member who was no longer in the country.
Join the ACT Team—Become a Donor Today
We are so incredibly grateful for all the lucky breaks that Oh-She got in her time of direst need: kind people who spotted her and knew to get her help; an ACT rescuer not too far away; a Facebook user who saw our post and knew who was looking for her; and a vet who was not only open at Chinese New Year but also able to see the exhausted dog.
But Oh-She would surely be dead today if ACT wasn’t able to run a 24-hour rescue service throughout the whole of northern Taiwan. An animal-rescue charity has huge costs, from running the rescue program, buying the special equipment needed for catching animals (and those who harm them), paying the huge vet bills for every rescued dog or cat, running three sanctuaries to care for those unsuited to rehoming, paying our 18 full-time staff, and covering all the admin costs needed to keep a dedicated animal charity not only sustainable but growing so that more animals can be saved every year, day in, day out.
And, for that, we are immensely grateful to all the kind people who donate to keep these life-saving rescues happening. Thanks to our donors, ACT rescues around 180 suffering animals every year and cares for more than 320 at our sanctuaries. By becoming an ACT donor, you are ensuring that dogs like Oh-She here—and the stray dog or cat we rescue tonight or tomorrow—will always have a team dedicated to getting them out of danger or into a hospital for whatever emergency treatment they need, when they most need it.
You can donate today using debit card, credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or Venmo using the secure donation form below:
Your donation—be it big or small, single or monthly—truly makes a world of difference to dogs like Oh-She. Thank you for any gift at all. And if you are already an ACT supporter, please know that Oh-She and her owner are very, very grateful to you.
And a very happy Chinese New Year from the entire ACT team!
