Firefighters rescue overheated dog from Scottsdale hiking trail
Sep 22, 2022, 12:00 PM | Updated: 2:48 pm
PHOENIX – Rescue teams in Scottsdale brought a dog in distress down from a hiking trail Wednesday afternoon, first responders said.
Diego the dog was showing signs of heat exhaustion, the Scottsdale Fire Department said, when they arrived at Tom’s Thumb Trail around 1:30 p.m.
Paramedics carried Diego – a 125-pound German shepherd – partway down the trail, then loaded him, the woman hiker and another dog onto a waiting utility vehicle to finish the descent.
Once off the trail, Diego lapped down five bottles of water and was able to climb into his owner’s car by himself, Scottsdale Fire said.
A sign at the start of the trail warns hikers how the heat can harmfully affect pets, the fire department said.
Firefighters recommended walking dogs either early in the morning or after 5 p.m.
Temperatures topped out at around 86 degrees on a Wednesday that had scattered showers.
The city of Scottsdale has guidelines on taking dogs to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, including which dogs are more at risk for heat issues and what symptoms they exhibit when they’re suffering.
Warning signs of heat issues include heavy panting, bright red tongue and gums, skin elasticity and lethargy.
