It was a Sunday night that the rescuers of the CRS Pyrénées mountain police will not forget in a hurry. At around 1 am, emergency services received a panicked call from two young hikers wild camping near Blue Lake, in the Chiroulet area. Pitch black outside, strange noises and growls could be heard all around their tent. Convinced they were surrounded by a pack of wolves, the two men did not dare to move.
When rescuers arrived, the reality turned out to be much more peaceful, if just as surprising. What the terrified campers thought were fearsome predators was actually nothing more than a group of wild boars out for a midnight stroll! This unusual first shout set the tone for an incredibly busy day for the mountain rescue teams.
A Pyrenean Mountain Dog airlifted after a nasty fall
But the excitement did not end there. During a back-to-back series of call-outs in the Hautes-Pyrénées that same day, rescuers received a particularly touching call from Lake Ourrec. A brave Pyrenean Mountain Dog, locally known as a Patou and an iconic livestock guarding dog of these peaks, had just suffered a nasty fall.
Unable to get back up, the poor dog's hind legs were completely paralysed. Given the dog's massive size and the difficult terrain, there was no way to carry him down on foot. At the request of the local fire service, the CRS Pyrénées team immediately called in a helicopter from the civil protection agency to assist.
A happy ending for the giant protector of the peaks
Thanks to a delicate and perfectly executed operation, the large white dog was secured and winched up into the air, much to the relief of his owner and nearby hikers. The brave Pyrenean Mountain Dog was quickly transported to a veterinary clinic to receive the urgent care he needed.
Thanks to the composure and unwavering dedication of the mountain rescue teams, who worked tirelessly all weekend, this story has a happy ending for the magnificent protection dog who spends his days watching over the mountain pastures.