FREE VACCINATIONS FOR HAIRY RESCUERS
FROM THE NORTH-WEST EVENING MAIL
The Lake Districts hairiest rescuers have been offered free vaccinations against Lyme Disease. In a generous move leading animal health care company Merial Animal Health have offered all 25 Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dog Association canines free shots against this tick-borne disease. Anyone who has watched these dogs working cannot fail to be impressed by their skill, intelligence and hard-work, not to mention that of their handlers and owners who all put in long hours training and go through a rigorous assessment.
They are an absolutely vital element in search and rescue and are, of course prone to tick bites and the diseases associated with them. Far from being a simple nuisance tick bites can transmit Lyme Disease, the signs of which can be flu-like and include lethargy, high temperature and sometimes heart, brain and kidney troubles. Left untreated this disease can be serious indeed.
The Lake Districts hairiest rescuers have been offered free vaccinations against Lyme Disease. In a generous move leading animal health care company Merial Animal Health have offered all 25 Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dog Association canines free shots against this tick-borne disease. Anyone who has watched these dogs working cannot fail to be impressed by their skill, intelligence and hard-work, not to mention that of their handlers and owners who all put in long hours training and go through a rigorous assessment.
They are an absolutely vital element in search and rescue and are, of course prone to tick bites and the diseases associated with them. Far from being a simple nuisance tick bites can transmit Lyme Disease, the signs of which can be flu-like and include lethargy, high temperature and sometimes heart, brain and kidney troubles. Left untreated this disease can be serious indeed.
WINTER SURPRISES EVERYONE AGAIN
It does sometimes seem that even the weather-mad Brits are surprised that winter turns up each and every year just after autumn. News reports and gossip in the streets suggests that the phenomenon is new each year. Of course most of us are rather more realistic in our attitude to winter and prepare for it, or at least rush to catch up with after the first cold morning. We remember to top-up the anti-freeze in our cars (we do don't we?); dig our the gloves from the bottom of the drawer and dust-down the coat or nip round to Go Outdoors for a cheap down jacket. But do we hill-walkers always prepare as well as we should ? I'm sure you'll be wrapped up well this weekend in the hills but have you taken your head-torch ? Your spare batteries because batteries don't last as long in the cold ? Have you got any extra clothing in the bottom of your rucksack in case you get caught out by the weather ? Have the more adventurous of you got crampons and ice-axe for the steeper, wilder ground ? Or trail crampons for lesser slopes and snows ?
Mountain Rescue teams across Wales, Scotland and the North are flagging up the chance of snow now that our mildest ever autumn has finally let go. So don't be caught out, check your kit, bung in some spares, take a torch and check the weather, the Mountain Weather Information Service is a dedicated hill-going website giving you the forecast for the hills, not for the sheltered inner-city.
Mountain Rescue teams across Wales, Scotland and the North are flagging up the chance of snow now that our mildest ever autumn has finally let go. So don't be caught out, check your kit, bung in some spares, take a torch and check the weather, the Mountain Weather Information Service is a dedicated hill-going website giving you the forecast for the hills, not for the sheltered inner-city.
YOUR CHANCE TO BUY A VAN, A PIECE OF MOUNTAIN RESCUE EQUIPMENT AND DONATE TO CHARITY - ALL AT ONCE.
Yours for a snip at £7,200 - one used VW Caravelle Synchro 4x4 LWB van. Available in fetching white livery, stripes optional ! Just 48,500 miles on the clock, one careful owner.
Galloway Mountain rescue are selling their old team van. I'm not sure about the rescue stripes or the ambulance logo but you do get a good van at a good price and of course all the money goes to charity, the rescue team!
Go to Galloway Mountain Rescue teams Facebook page for details.
Galloway Mountain rescue are selling their old team van. I'm not sure about the rescue stripes or the ambulance logo but you do get a good van at a good price and of course all the money goes to charity, the rescue team!
Go to Galloway Mountain Rescue teams Facebook page for details.