Q&A
Misty Blue, a 31-year-old horse, got stuck in a muddy creek bed Monday in the 7800 block of South Cody Street, northwest of Chatfield Reservoir, and she was rescued by West Metro Fire Rescue with the help of others.
Firefighters took a 911 call shortly after 9 a.m. from a neighbor who spotted the horse lying in the creek bed in a “weird position,” said Cindy Matthews, a West Metro spokeswoman.
West Metro also responded Monday to a rescue call on a dog – a beagle – who fell through the ice at Maple Grove Reservoir near West 27th Avenue and Youngfield Street. Both horse and beagle are doing fine. Matthews answered several questions for The Denver Post about animal rescues.
Q: How much training do firefighters and paramedics receive when it comes to animal rescues?
A: These kinds of rescues, it’s a good call in the sense that we have an opportunity to practice all the drills we do at the stations with ropes and pulleys. The hours we apply practicing on an animal rescue is very similar to what we would do for a person.
Q: On average, how many animal rescue calls does West Metro receive over the course of a year, and what are the majority of those calls for?
A: We receive a handful of them each month. Some turn out to be nothing; some turn out to be substantial. Usually, between 30 to 75 a year. The majority are animals on ice. If it’s a fox or a coyote, we won’t go out.
Q: What are some of the most unusual animal rescue calls West Metro has received?
A: Boney the boneheaded cow. She went out walking at night and fell into a well. It was such a boneheaded move. She survived without harm. A giant iguana near West Mississippi Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, this iguana would climb trees and get stuck. We’ve had horses stuck in lakes. Those are the ones I remember. All kinds of bizarre things.
– Kieran Nicholson, Denver Post staff writer
REGIONAL NOTES
ARVADA
City thanked for Katrina aid
The Rev. Gary Houston, chairman of Rebuilding East Mississippi, which has worked to repair damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, thanked Arvada Mayor Ken Fellman in person Monday for assistance provided by the community, the city and city staff.
Arvada sent $5,000 in school supplies to the Meridian school system for nearly 200 evacuated students. City staff donated more than $3,300 to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief, and the community contributed $7,550 for Lowe’s gift cards that have been used by AmeriCorps youths to rebuild homes in Mississippi.
CASTLE ROCK
Fill up at annual Spaghetti Feed
The Castle Rock Senior Center’s annual Spaghetti Feed is Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. in Panorama Hall at the city recreation center, 2301 N. Woodlands Blvd.
The event is open to the public, with a complete meal – spaghetti, salad, bread, dessert and beverages – for $7 for adults and $4 for children 6 to 12. Children 5 and younger eat for free.
Seating is limited. Reservations can be made by calling 303-688-9498.
