Your Sanctuary and Habitat Guardians
Pet Rescue
Cat, Dog, Domestic Animals of Squamish
We do more than just "Pests and Wildlife Control" Pets sometimes need our help too!
Disclaimer:
- Lacking veterinary credentials, we are unable to address any medical emergencies. Despite rigorous safety protocols, we assume no liability for unforeseen incidents or injuries during rescue operations. By enlisting our services, you automatically waive any claims against us for harm to your pet, structures, or the rescue site which also include repair or replacement costs. We shall not be held responsible for any resulting damages or injuries incurred during a rescue endeavour.
- In many cases, we can perform a Pet Animal Rescue by ourselves. However, given the size of our operation and the manpower available, we may encounter limitations in initiating or succeeding in high-involvement rescues that require specialized equipment and human resources. The timing and weather conditions during a rescue can also impact our ability to perform a rescue mission.
- We will not ask you to help in the rescue of your pet, but if you offer assistance or call on volunteers, we will not be responsible for any damages, personal injury, or costs related to the rescue. You agree to take full responsibility for yourself and the people you recruit. This includes engaging additional contractors and agencies, such as gas, electrical, legal, municipal, or others required for the operation. You assume all responsibilities to ensure compliance with Canadian, British Columbia, and municipal laws and regulations, and to protect yourself and your recruits from liabilities. You also acknowledge that any communication during the rescue does not implicate us, as participants have not received proper training in rescue procedures or terminology.
We Treat Pet Rescue as an EMERGENCY
Pet Animal Rescue
Did your kitty get in trouble again?
As animal lovers with extensive experience in performing rescues involving pets, humans, wildlife, and property safeguarding, we understand how distressing it can be when a critical situation arises.
Therefore, we treat pet and animal rescues as emergencies and respond as quickly as possible while on duty.
Pet Rescue Credentials
We provide pet extrication and rescue services for domestic animals such as cats, dogs, and other species. Our expertise is backed by formal training obtained through MOT Canada in Airside Emergency Apparatus Response to Crash, Fire, and Rescue, Municipal Structural Fire, Extrication, and Rescue. We have also received additional training from Emergency Measures Operation and CASARA (Civil Air Search and Rescue Association).
Additionally, we possess a Radiotelephone Operator’s Restricted Certificates Aeronautical, Land, and Marine to legally communicate with agencies such as Flight Service Stations, Royal Canadian Air Force, CASARA, Canadian Arm Forces, Coast Guards and others on restricted radio frequencies operations if participating in a joint effort. With experience in confined spaces and at heights, we are proficient in harnessing, roping, and utilizing tools to safely navigate and stabilize challenging situations.”
Important: Things to Know Before Calling for a Pet Rescue
There may be times when, even if we are available, we won’t be able to assist you. Before calling, ensure that all of the following criteria are met:
- You MUST be the owner of the pet or the person responsible for it.
- You MUST know location of the pet. We can’t unfortunately track lost pets.
- You MUST be the owner of the property or area where the animal is trapped, or have written authorization from the landlord or owner of the property allowing us to proceed with necessary actions onsite, such as creating access, climbing on structures, digging, installing safety measures, and any other activities that require rationalization.
- The landlord has been notified and is available to take calls during the rescue to discuss unforeseen events.
- You have read and understood the Disclaimer above and agree to hold us free from any liabilities.
When to call Bylaw or Conservation
There are types of rescue that are better handled by our local Bylaw or Conservation. As a general rule, if the pet does not belong to you, or if the situation involves wildlife, it is advisable to contact these agencies, as we do not respond to such rescues. You can also contact one of these agencies to report animal cruelty or strays, with or without identification tags. Most people who lost their pet will call the SPCA to report and describe their pets. It is definitely one of the best places to start.
Standard Procedure when Calling for a Pet Rescue
Please note: Without proper medical credentials, we are unable to provide medical care to animals in physical distress. If your pet is not in immediate physical distress, there’s no need to worry. The animal might be stuck, but it should be okay until we arrive on site.
TEXTING US INFORMATION BEFORE CALLING
We understand that placing a voice call may be easier and faster for you, but for us, it’s better, faster, and more efficient to have your information ready when we call you back. Here’s what we need to know for a pet rescue:
Text us at 778-266-7228 with the following information:
(Do not use our form at the bottom of the page as it sometimes takes time to receive it in our inbox.)
First, acknowledge in writing that you have read and understood our disclaimer: “I have read your disclaimer and accept the terms.”
Then provide the following information:
- Your full name
- Your home address
- A mobile phone number we can use to call you
- Your email address
- The species of animal requiring help
- Details of the situation and how long it has been occurring
- Is the animal breathing, meowing, barking, or bleeding
- The current location of the animal with photos
- The name of the animal
Once we have received and reviewed your message, we will call you back promptly. If we can assist you, we will provide you with an estimated time of arrival. Please note that some rescues may be complex and require us to return to our shop to gather rescue kits, purchase equipment, or fabricate tools. Each rescue is unique, and we must adapt quickly.
What is the Cost of a Pet Rescue?
The base fee for a Pet Rescue is $99.75,
(regardless of whether we are able to assist you or not.)
In many cases, this will be the total cost for your Pet Rescue.
Please note: Emergency calls, which require immediate response, typically necessitate advance payment, consistent with our policy for emergency services.
Payment Method:
E-transfer sent to al@almanagespests.ca (with the password set to “the species of your pet”)
Click link for credit card payment
Additional charges may apply from us depending on the situation.
As we are not a publicly supported business, we sometimes incur costs that need to be recovered, such as restocking one-time use rescue supplies and replacing lost or damaged rescue equipment during the rescue. Regardless of the circumstances, we will always seek your authorization before applying any additional charges.
Possible Additional Charges to Other Agencies
You may incur additional charges for extra manpower, special machinery or equipment, or services from agencies such as Hydro, gas, or veterinarians, depending on the situation.
Rescue Safety for the Animal and the Rescuer
It is important to understand that the first priority in any rescue is the safety of the victim and of the rescuer.
Our training has taught us to be vigilant and pragmatic when evaluating a rescue scene. We refer to this as “The Primary Survey,” which includes several key considerations:
- Are there any dangers for the victim and rescuer?
- Are there any other casualties or potential thereof?
- What is the condition of the victim or DRABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, and Circulation?
Special measures may need to be employed or deployed to ensure safety. If we deem a pet rescue to be too dangerous to initiate, we will inform you so you can consider alternative methods.
Rescue Prevention and Measures
Hit Two Birds With One Stone – Prevention and Rescue Assist Device
Please don’t literally throw rocks at birds 🙂
Taking precautions in advance, such as using a pet porter or an escape-proof harness, is perhaps 99% of the reason why you wouldn’t need to call us. An escape-proof harness, if such a thing exists, can also be very useful during a rescue. Not only does it help you control your pet’s movements, but it can also serve as a sort of life preserver during a rescue mission.
The best alternative to a pet rescue is preventing it from happening, though we know this is easier said than done. Pets can unexpectedly get spooked and lack the human sense of situational awareness to potential dangers.
Pets also tend to resist while being rescued. In their minds, a rescuer is an added stressor and a potential threat, especially if they feel cornered. They will often resist or flee deeper into trouble to evade capture.
Good and Bad Harness Types
It’s worth mentioning that we have never seen a 100% escape-proof pet harness. Manufacturers often overlook the back ends of animals. The types shown below depict a bad harness and a better one, which seems to be the best type out of the box we have seen so far. Having the ability to adjust the neck, front legs segment, and chest segment separately is one of the best ways to custom fit the shape of your pet.
We have a simple homemade modification that you can make to improve it even further if you can sew. Adding extra loops for the back end of the animal enhances its effectiveness. This modification also allows a rescue technician to use the harness to pull a pet upward, backward, or forward without slippage. Playing it safe is always the best approach when pets are involved.
Example of a light Cat Harness (We do not recommend this type)
We do not recommend this type of harness. It is very easy for a cat to slip out of this harness type. The same design also applies to dogs, rabbits, hamsters, and other small animals, especially if the harness is too large or not adjusted properly.
A proper escape-proof harness (if there is such a thing) is much harder to slip out of. Having the ability to adjust the neck, chest, and back end are very nice features that make it almost foolproof. The only thing missing in the photo with the kitten below are two loops that would loosely wrap around the back legs, connecting under the belly and on top of the back. This would give the harness a very secure fit and could be used to attach a rescue snap hook, allowing a rescuer to pull in any direction.
Example of an Escape Proof Cat Harness (We prefer this type)
We should mention first that there is no such thing as an escape-proof cat harness. There is only one type that is foolproof and mostly used by rescuers. It is very expensive and too bulky to use for a casual walk. Your cat would fall on its side like a cold and rigid salami while wearing one of those. It is not meant for walking.
Although not perfect, this type of harness is far superior to a lightweight harness nevertheless.
How to make this harness even better:
- Reflective sewn or Velcro bands
- Top and side loops to attach a rescue hook
- Flashing LED light
- If you don’t have a GPS on the collar, add one
- Two additional loose loops for the back legs
- Name tag with your phone number
- A Tile tag with audible activated beeping sound
Possible Reasons why your Cat May be Hiding
There are a few core reasons why your pet may be hiding
Your Pet is Just Being Silly
This is probably one of the most annoying reasons your pet is hiding. One possible reason is that it simply wants to play games with you. It may exhibit silly behavior to get your attention or provoke a playful response from you, while you may be feeling stressed. Fortunately, your pet is not in danger. Your patience will be tested as time passes. Eventually, it will emerge once it becomes bored, hungry, or thirsty.
Fear
There might be loud noises, predators, or even other animals that your pet is scared of. Their instinct is to lay low, observe from a distance, and remain stealthy until the perceived threat passes. Similar to the ‘being silly’ behaviour, hoping for time and patience is probably the best course of action.
Ilness or Injury
Illness or injury often leads to similar behavioral responses in animals. They seek out secluded places to hide because they feel unwell or injured. This can be challenging because animals can remain hidden for extended periods. If you suspect that your pet was attacked or showed signs of illness before disappearing, your best option is to continuously call for it. Some people have even tried recording their pet’s name with a command to come, playing it on a loop near the door, and waiting in hopes of its return. If you know where the animal is hiding but can’t reach it, calling us for a rescue is likely your best bet to retrieve it.
How to Retrieve a Pet Techniques
There are times when your cat can be stubborn, and no attempt to entice it out will work. Sometimes, they enter a trance or fall asleep and simply can’t be bothered. Fortunately, under different conditions, you can entice them out with care and patience.
If your pet is scared, removing the source of fear can help. Sometimes, you just have to wait it out, like during construction work or fireworks. Other times, like when there’s a barking dog or loud party nearby, it can be managed with tact and diplomacy.
Try not to startle the animal out of hiding, as this may cause it to dig in deeper and make retrieval harder.
Calling your animal is always a natural instinct. Use a familiar, playful tone to signal that it’s playtime.
Use common methods to attract your animal. You may have a fail-safe method your pet responds to every time, like shaking a treat container or a noisy toy.
Activating its predatory instinct can also work, especially with cats. Throwing a toy attached to a string and slowly retrieving it outside can be a tempting lure.
I’ve found that a catnip ball on a string is a very effective way to lure a cat out. Even spreading a little pile of catnip outside the hole it’s hiding in can be very enticing.
Making catnip tea is another method. Boil water at the green tea setting, infuse catnip in a cup for a few minutes, sift the tea into a spray bottle, and generously spray the exterior of the animal’s hiding place. Then, squirt a few sprays inside the area where it is hiding. If your cat is not sick or injured, it may find this irresistible and come out to investigate.
If you know your pet was showing signs of being sick or injured and you can’t reach it, then call us to rescue the animal, as its condition may worsen over time.