Horse-rescue demo scheduled for tonight in Oak Harbor

A demonstration of large-animal rescue techniques will be in Oak Harbor tonight.

The event is part of a continuing effort by Island County equestrian groups to deal with horses involved in traffic accidents and other hazardous situations.

The demonstration of Equine Emergency Rescue Training (EERT) will focus on how to handle horses that have been trapped in their trailers after an accident, and other dangerous situations, said Jerry Lloyd of Greenbank, one of the organizers.

The event will be at 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Skagit Farmers Supply, 31686 Highway 20 in Oak Harbor.

Joining EERT team leader Lloyd as a speaker will be Mount Vernon veterinarian Ken Leisher.

Lloyd, of the Island County chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Washington, has spearheaded efforts to acquaint local firefighters and emergency response personnel with technics that will help save the lives of horses caught in vehicle accidents and other dangerous situations.

He said there are more than nine million horses in the United States, including many on Whidbey Island.

The result has been an increase in the number of emergency incidents involving large animals.

He said tonight’s demonstration will kick off a series of events to train emergency response personnel on how to handle those emergencies. The event also will include catch and corral practice.

For more information, call 360-675-2277, or contact Lloyd at 206-730-2519.

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