Rescuers Carry 160-Lb. Dog Down Mountain Trail After Pet Injures Paw

Rescuers came to the aid of a 160-lb. dog who injured their paw on a hike at Saddle Mountain in Oregon.

On Sunday, July 14, the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District in Cannon Beach, Ore., wrote in a Facebook post that the July 12 incident "copious amounts of welded wire fencing on the ground to provide traction and stability of the trail" led to the dog's injuries.

The dog, a Great Pyrenees, was hiking with his owners when he "suddenly refused to keep walking." The fire department described the animal's paws as "raw/cut" and said he needed assistance to get down the mountain. 

The agency shared photos from the rescue with the cautionary post. In the pictures, rescuers carry the sizeable white dog down the trail on a stretcher with additional help from the Hamlet Volunteer Fire Department, the Gearhart Volunteer Fire Department, and Seaside Fire and Rescue.

Another image shows a close-up of the wires on the trail that caused the injuries. The wires help people gain traction on the steep, rocky trail. They take up most of the walking space and are on top of several rocks.

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Cannon Beach RFPD clarified that while signage on the trail states that leashed dogs are allowed, the area "is not very dog friendly."

"Over the years, we have had several calls for dogs that needed assistance off the mountain due to dehydration or cut/raw paw pads," the agency wrote in the caption of its social media post.

The fire department also wrote that the wire fencing contains sharp wires that are "sticking straight up," which can cause damage to animals.

"Dog booties would be recommended on this trail," Cannon Beach RFPD added. 

The post also suggested that pet owners let their pets build strength for such trails with "incremental exposure to rough surfaces."

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The state park website says dogs should always be leashed on Saddle Mountain. "Pet owners should beware of loose wire ends on the wire mesh trail surface and consider bringing dog boots for the hike," the website reads.

According to the website, Saddle Mountain is the tallest mountain in Clatsop County. The main trail is "steep and difficult" and features a 1,634-foot elevation rise along the hike. The trail is said to contain "solid or sometimes chunky rock."

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