Revelstoke Search and Rescue lends a paw to stranded Great Dane owners
Published 3:45 pm Wednesday, September 16, 2026
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A successful search and rescue mission Sunday night near Revelstoke demonstrated that emergency calls aren’t reserved for those with only two legs.
Revelstoke Search and Rescue (REVSAR) shared Monday morning, Sept. 14, that volunteer responders were summoned to the dark depths of Mount MacPherson the evening of Sept. 13 to assist two dog owners and their injured Great Dane.
The 10-year-old canine had torn her paw pads and couldn’t reach the MacPherson trailhead as night fell, stranding the caretakers with her on the mountain’s backside trail.
“Her exhausted owners had done everything they could, but with a dog this size, they needed a little extra horsepower,” REVSAR posted on social media. “They were not prepared to spend the night and not able to haul their pup out on their own, so a K9 emergency quickly turned into a human emergency.”
It’s not unusual for Great Danes to weigh 100 pounds, with some males growing as heavy as 175 pounds.
READ: ‘Very lucky’: Swift Revelstoke SAR response saves stranded fisher off Columbia River
Though a week of summer remains, REVSAR also noted that overnight temperatures are already dropping rapidly in the region and clothing suitable for day hiking in 15 C won’t cut it for 0 C in the alpine when the sun’s down.
Acting swiftly Sunday night, responders arrived via the Three Valley-Victor Forest Service Road, delicately loaded the damaged Dane into a wheeled basket stretcher and transported her back to the main trailhead, “with two very tired and grateful owners in tow.”
REVSAR acknowledged its volunteers for attending the pair and their Dane in distress until 1 a.m. Monday, with the response running late due to muddy and narrow trail conditions but the rescuers moving carefully to ensure the dog’s and humans’ safety.
“Sometimes our rescue subjects just happen to have four legs,” REVSAR quipped. “We’re happy to report the pup and her humans made it safely off the mountain, and we wish this very good girl a speedy recovery!”
Search and rescue manager Ren Bessette told Black Press Media it’s uncommon to receive calls for dogs needing assistance. It was the first canine-related response she’s assisted in her seven years with REVSAR.
But being prepared to treat or evacuate pets is an important consideration when heading outdoors, Bessette noted.
“Our biggest suggestion for folks recreating in the backcountry with their pets is to have an emergency plan in place that should include an evacuation harness and first aid supplies,” she advised by email.
READ: Revelstoke Search and Rescue drone to support operations across region
Options include harnesses manufactured by Ruffwear and Fido Pro. Revelstoke’s Celine Rytz also offers pet-specific backcountry emergency kits, dog safety field guides, and courses for pet first aid and wilderness safety through her Backcountry Aid + Rescue Kits (BARK) initiative.
“Being prepared for pet emergencies cans sometimes be overlooked, but it’s one of those things where you don’t need it until you really need it!” Bessette said.
For all backcountry emergencies, REVSAR can be summoned for free by calling 911. Donations can be made at revsar.ca/donate.