SNOHOMISH — A horse thought to have been stranded in a hole for three days was rescued by firefighters Friday afternoon.
The rescue came after a woman in the area noticed that the 30-year-old mare wasn’t in her pasture, according to Doug Ramsay with Snohomish County Fire District 4.
The woman spotted the horse in a muddy hole in the 5200 block of Homeacres Road and called for help.
Holes had been dug in the area for septic tank drain fields, Ramsay said. It appears that the horse fell into one of the holes earlier in the week.
The horse was wedged in the 4-foot-deep hole, and firefighters had to dig around the horse with shovels, Ramsay said. The ground was too soft to bring in any equipment to lift out the horse.
After about 90 minutes, rescuers were able to get a fire hose around the horse, and used a winch to haul her out, Ramsay said.
It wasn’t clear who owned the horse Friday evening. The property owner was not familiar with the animal, Ramsay said. A Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office animal control officer was trying to locate the owner.
The horse was very weak and likely had been without food and water while it was lodged in the hole, Ramsay said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
