In rescue op, hurt dog carried off trail on stretcher

Israeli rescue services on Wednesday retrieved a dog suffering burns to his legs from a nature reserve in northern Israel.

The 65-kilogram (143-pound) bulldog named Johnny was carried out of the El Al river hiking trail in the Golan Heights on a stretcher for four kilometers (2.5 miles) over rocky terrain.

The police unit also carried by hand a second dog suffering from the intense heat.

Three women from the coastal city of Netanya had taken their dogs on the four-hour hiking trail, but the heat caused Johnny’s paws to sustain burns.

“He simply lay down and couldn’t walk any more,” owner May Mor told the Ynet news website. “Next time I’ll buy him boots.”

The workers carried the dogs to the hikers’ cars and the owners later sought veterinary treatment for their pets.

On Thursday, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said he would advance pensions for dogs employed by Israel’s security services.

“We have a moral and human obligation to take care of them even after they get older and left military life. They should receive good conditions and proper treatment and I will see to that,” he said.