First published in Fido Friendly magazine

 Rescue • by Claudia Bensimoun

In this heartwarming Fido Friendly guest post, Claudia Bensimoun spotlights the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team’s daring save of Daisy, a newly adopted 121-pound St. Bernard who collapsed on England’s highest peak. Amid looming bad weather, 16 volunteers lifted her to safety, guided by vet advice on breed-specific care—highlights from the article below.

Read the full story on FidoFriendly.com here.

Daisy’s Scafell Pike rescue lift

A 121-pound St. Bernard named Daisy was rescued on July 24 from England’s Scafell Pike, the UK’s highest mountain, at 3,208 feet above sea level, with 16 members of Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team being the lucky responders.

Her new pet parents had recently adopted Daisy. The Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team has been assisting people in the western fells of the Lake District for over 50 years, regardless of weather conditions. It took 16 volunteers to lift Daisy, and the UK’s mountain rescue team spent close to five hours on the entire rescue.

According to Wasdale’s Facebook page, “Daisy had collapsed whilst descending from the summit of Scafell Pike, and was therefore unable to carry on; our members didn’t need to think twice about mobilising and deploying to help retrieve Daisy off England’s highest.”

Photos credited to: Wasdale Mountain Rescue

Vet Advice for St. Bernard Rescue

Since Daisy was showing signs of pain in her back legs and was refusing to move, Daisy’s pet parents had to call in for the rescue. They kept her well-hydrated and fed until the team members arrived with a stretcher. The weather was expected to deteriorate later in the evening, so the rescuers had to move Daisy quickly before it worsened.

The Wasdale Mountain Rescue team added via their Facebook page that “In advance of getting on location, advice had been sought from several local vets regarding pain relief, possible issues specific to that breed of dog, and how best to handle them in such stressful situations.”

This is how they tackled the beginning part of Daisy’s mountain rescue. “On reaching their location, team members carefully introduced themselves to Daisy, so as not to cause any additional distress, and with the help of a treat or two, members were able to assess her condition and administer analgesia for the pain.”

Claudia Bensimoun, Dog Rescue, St. Bernard, Scafell Pike, Canine Wellness, Fido Friendly 2023, Mountain Emergencies, Vet Advice, Pet Adoption, Lake District Dogs, Breed Health, Rescue Team Empathy