Fire officials say a horse is stable and undergoing treatment but it is “looking positive” after responders spent all day Saturday rescuing the animal after it got swept away by floodwaters near Marengo.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts received a report around 8 a.m. Saturday for a potential animal water rescue in the 22900 block of Anthony Road in unincorporated Marengo.
Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said firefighters and sheriff’s deputies arrived a short time later and located a horse standing in floodwaters approximately 600 feet from the nearest shore.
The banks of Coon Creek had overflowed following recent storms and it is believed the horse had been swept away overnight.
The situation quickly became time sensitive due to the cold water temperatures and the unknown amount of time the animal had spent in the water, Vucha said.
A rescue plan was developed as fire crews evaluated the conditions and the strength of the current.
Vucha said an initial team utilized a boat to reach the horse and carefully worked in the moving water.
Additional personnel, along with a veterinarian, waded from shore toward the creek to assist with the operation.
The boat crew transported the veterinarian across the creek to a small peninsula where the horse had taken footing, Vucha said.
The veterinarian began providing care, administering medication and taking measures to stabilize the animal.
The horse was suffering from significant hypothermia and crews began preparing for the next phase of the rescue.
The incident was upgraded through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) around 4:30 p.m. to bring additional swift water technicians from throughout Lake and McHenry counties to the scene for specialized expertise and manpower.
They assisted in carefully guiding the horse across the creek, which was estimated to be approximately 15 feet deep due to elevated flood conditions, Vucha said.
Nearly two dozen personnel worked together to move the animal to the roadway after reaching the edge of the creek.
Vucha said the horse was loaded into a trailer provided by Cutting Edge Equine Veterinary Services and transported to a veterinary facility for continued medical care on Saturday evening.
The horse was taken to Kendall Road Equine Hospital in unincorporated Elgin where it remains.
Vucha said Monday that the horse was still under evaluation and receiving treatment.
The horse was stable and things were “looking positive,” he said, adding that the horse could be released back to its owner soon but there was no definitive timeline.
One person who had initially assisted with the rescue was transported to a local hospital for evaluation due to cold exposure.
“It was a challenging and time-sensitive rescue, but we are pleased with the outcome,” Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Chief John Kimmel said.
“Floodwaters can be unpredictable and dangerous for both people and animals. We appreciate the coordinated efforts of all personnel who assisted with bringing this incident to a successful conclusion,” Kimmel said.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts said they thank Dr. Nicky Wessel with Cutting Edge Equine Veterinary Services for her “critical role” in caring for the animal during the rescue, as well as Deputy Waters with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office for assisting on the scene.
Additional support was provided by the Wisconsin Large Animal Emergency Response Technical Response Team.
The fire district also thanked the 911 dispatchers and the numerous agencies that responded to the MABAS activation.
Cutting Edge Equine Veterinary Services said the horse was too tired to stand up once it was eventually brought to shore so everyone had to pull him safely out of the watered fields and administer more medical treatments before loading him on the glide into the trailer.
The horse was up and standing Saturday evening at the equine hospital.