Watch Florida firefighters pull Buddy Bear the horse free from a septic tank
Buddy Bear is one lucky horse.
“Lucky,” being subjective here given the poor horse fell into a septic tank.
That said, the horse was fortunate enough to have met some Marion County, Florida, fire-rescue heroes who managed to help pull Buddy Bear from the smelly muck on Oct. 30.
According to the firefighters, they received a 911 call that evening about a horse that had fallen into a septic tank near a home in northern Central Florida.
When rescue crews arrived around 6:30 p.m., they saw just Buddy Bear’s head poking through the sludge. Three-quarters of the horse was submerged.
“Growing up in the horse industry, Engine 18’s driver engineer took command of the scene and directed rescue specialists to utilize a fire hose as a sling to stabilize Buddy Bear,” Marion County Fire Rescue posted on its Facebook page.
“Tech rescue specialists completed the sling and supported [Buddy Bear’s] back side with an additional section of hose. They were able to position Buddy Bear within the hole for the easiest extrication.”
Buddy Bear also used some of his “remaining strength” to pitch in and aid in his own assist, rescue crews said.
Firefighters reported that Buddy Bear is 40 years old, which is pretty senior given a horse’s average life span of 25 to 33 years — though horses can live to 40 and beyond, according to The Spruce Pets.
Buddy Bear looked tired as he was hoisted out of the hole but stood alongside some of the firefighters after the ordeal. Buddy Bear’s veterinarian assisted after the rescue was completed and the animal was doing well, fire-rescue reported on Facebook.
