In the news: Getting your injured dog to the vet

We were perusing the news wires today and came across an interesting article about a dog that was horribly injured while playing in a park. On New Year's Day, Max, a 90 pound English Lab, was with his mom Betsy when a rusty metal rod hidden in the snow punctured his body. Max is a big dog and difficult to move, especially after such a severe injury. Betsy's friend called 911, but was told that the local police don’t rescue animals. The women then called Max's dad who came to the rescue and rushed Max to the emergency vet. After 3 hours of harrowing surgery, Max was repaired and has 20 staple to prove it. Thankfully, he's recovering at home and should be fine in about a month.

What would you do if you were out and about and needed help getting your injured pooch to the animal hospital? You'd be hard pressed to find an ambulance willing to transport your best pal or even to come out to a trail or remote area.

Rather than complain or sue, Betsy has decided to find an answer to the problem. Check out Betsy's website, created to raise awareness and help establish emergency services and transport for injured animals.

Betsy is a fine example of someone taking action to help animals and her community. If you have any ideas, would like to talk about the issue or just want to wish Max a speedy recovery, contact Betsy.

In addition, call your local animal control agency or local animal welfare organizations to find out if your area has any emergency animal transport. A severe or life threatening injury can happen anywhere -- in the snow, in the sand, on the grass or on the sidewalk. Whether you're near home or on vacation, locate the closest veterinary or emergency veterinary facility before you go out. Likewise, carry a charged cell phone and have the local veterinary hospitals on speed dial.