Two dogs have an Airsoft group in Chile, to thank for saving their lives, after they were rescued from certain death. The group found the puppies submerged in a tar pit located about 10 kilometers from Antofagasta, Chile. These dogs who had been left to face certain death, know the extent of human cruelty. However, thanks to their saviors, human kindness prevailed in saving them. Even after the group rushed the dogs to the local veterinary clinic, no-one was certain whether they would survive the exposure to toxins in the tar.
Cries For Help
The Axis Airsoft Group of Antogafast, Chile were suited up and ready to start shooting when they heard strange cries coming from nearby and so they decided to investigate. What they found was an incredibly shocking site. When they got to the site they found two dogs that were sinking fast, and were completely soaked in thick, sticky tar, and were struggling to breathe.
Pups In Tar
They realized when they got to the scene that the dogs had been thrown in by some horrible person. They were discouraged to know that someone had been capable of such cruelty. The group realized that they had to act fast to save the dogs life, since it seems like they didn’t have much time. The pups were almost completely submerged, and they were sinking fast.
Using Rope
The first thing that the players thought to do was to pull the canines out using a rope. Unfortunately, that idea didn’t work very well at all. The sticky tar was pulling the dogs down at such a fast rate, it seemed almost impossible to lift the dogs up. The dogs were then crying in pain from the tension of the rope against the tar. The players then decided a change of plan was necessary.
Alternate Option
The players began looking around for materials to use to pull the dogs from the tar. Some of the rescuers kept the rope on the dogs loosely to keep them from sinking the bottom. Another rescuer began using a plank of wood to try and create a bridge from them to the dogs. They then used the long wooden plank to try pushing the dogs up to the top. The dogs were dog-paddling to try and stay afloat amongst the sticky tar.
More Materials
The rescuers knew that if they tried to just walk in towards the dogs, they would become caught in the tar themselves. They looked around for other materials again, and found a tire. They used the tire as a platform to get to the other dog. The tar was so thick, it began sucking the tire underneath as well.
Team Effort
The group realized this would be a team effort. One of the players had to sink down in order to get enough leverage to perhaps rope the dogs in. The other rescuers were behind him, pulling on his belt and clothing to make sure he wouldn’t be sucked into the black tar. At this point, the tar was almost all the way over the second dog’s head.
Closer And Closer
Finally, the team member closest to the pit, is able to grab a hold of one of the dogs. As the rescuer attempted to pull the dog out, the dog began to resist because it was so painful. The tar began to act like glue, pulling the dog down very hard. The dog let out a loud yelp from the pain, and snapped at his rescuer, forcing him to let go.
A Glimpse Of Hope
The team had failed to get the dogs out using rope, and their hands, but with no avail. They knew they needed to change their strategy once more. Their new plan was to push the dogs to the shoreline. With some help from the team, the dogs were trying very hard to swim to the edge.
Swimming To The Edge
These two little puppies may look still; but underneath the tar they are frantically moving their tiny paws to try and save their own lives. They were swimming unbelievably hard, with their saviors cheering them on the entire time.
Completely In Black Tar
When the puppies are pulled to the shoreline; their thick black glossy coating makes them look almost statuesque. One Canine has found his feet at the edge of the dirt, as the the team reach out for the second.
Sigh Of Relief
Finally getting out, the poor puppy breathes s sigh of relief. But he is not out of the woods yet. Once exposed to air – the tar can dry rapidly leading to extreme health problems. Realizing this, the team begins frantically trying to scrape the tar off of the puppies as much as possible with their bare hands. They work as quickly as humanly possible.
Emotions
One of the puppies attempts to wag his tail in appreciation for his saviors, but the thickness of the tar makes it difficult for him. The team members try to take the tar off off the pups, but the tar begins to stick and dry to the dog’s fur.
New Aid
Two of the Airsoft Players take turns pulling clumps of black tar off of one of the puppies. Although one of them began to move immediately after being removed from the tar, the other seems to freeze, almost seeming traumatized from his near death experience.
Clean Off
The team made sure to pet and console the pups while they were cleaning them off. However, the tar was so thick that the puppy probably could not feel the pets of encouragement underneath all the thick, sticky, tar.
Keeping The Pups Calm
It’s important to remember that tar is an incredibly dangerous substance. If you recall, there are tar pits in Los Angeles, and the most common bones that were found in these tar pits were ones of dire wolves. The theory of the tar pits is that the big carnivores who saw animals caught in the tar pits were easy prey. However, instead of getting a free meal, a dire wolf that would try to attack a mired creature would become trapped itself.
“Gatos Abandonados Antofagasta”
Once the group was able to get at least some of the tar off of the pups, they knew time was absolutely of the essence, and so they brought the pups to get veterinary care as soon as possible. They brought the dogs to “Gatos Abandonados Antofagasta”, a veterinary hospital in Chile. While at the hospital, the staff and volunteers worked feverishly to remove the rest of the tar from the exhausted dogs
Volunteers’ Help
As awful as the situation was for the two pups, it turns out that they were some of the lucky ones. When animal rescuers ventured back to the area where they were found, they were horrified to discover the bodies of six dead dogs in another nearby tar pit. In fact, it’s estimates 2.5 million dogs that are homeless in Chile today. Many people who travel to Chile are confused and mystified by the amount of canines that are seen wandering through the streets. While most people who travel there feel sorry for them, or even try to help them. Many who live there, consider them pests to be dealt with. They are often hunted or killed.
Beginning Of The Cleaning Process
They put the tar covered puppies into a tiled bathroom and set up 5 gallon buckets to begin their process of cleaning them up. All the tar needed to be cleared off of the dogs as soon as possible, in order to minimize the effects on the dogs’ health like blindness, and respiratory distress.
Looking Better
The dogs began to look much better. Although they still looked pitching black, the majority of the sticky, gooey, tar was already removed. Slowly the real looks of the dogs were revealed. Ridding the dogs of the tar was an extremely messy process. The volunteers themselves, ended up covered in tar.
The Pups Personalities Shine Through
Once the two puppies had been cleaned off; they are no longer identical – they are well on their way to becoming two clean, happy puppies.
Lancelot
One of the dogs turned out to be a male, and under the black tar, his coat had the rich brown and black coloring of a German Shepherd. He was given the name of a famous knight-Lancelot, which seemed incredibly fitting for his bravery.
Laica
The other dog covered in tar turned out to be a female. She had a lighter tan coloring, and it seemed as though she almost had Labrador Retriever mixed in with some German shepherd as well. The rescuers named the little girl Laica.
Feeling Better
Once Lancelot and Laica were cleaned up, the team was incredibly hopeful that the dogs wouldn’t have any complications from being in the tar, which can obviously cause many health problems. It turned out, that these young pups actually had even worse health issues to contend with.
Another Problem
The veterinarians discovered that both of the young canines had contracted canine distemper. Canine distemper is a contagious and viral disease that can cause respiratory issues, gastrointestinal and other problems. There is no cure the disease, and the infected dogs usually require a lot of care. For example, if the dogs are vomiting continuously, they may need to have fluids administered to combat dehydration.
Time For Home
Once the dogs were able to fight off the canine distemper, and recover from the traumatizing ordeal in the tar pit, it was time for these guys to find duo homes, a place they would never have to worry about being thrown into a tar pit again.
New Homes
The two dogs have a new lease on life – but they still face many dangers. Before they could go to these new homes, they had to be observed for a while to make sure there weren’t any other health related issues due to the tar.
The Tar
In the end, they decided to keep the tar that came off of both the pups. Below are the containers filled with all the gooey substance that came off of the pups! As you can guess, they are incredibly lucky that they didn’t suffer from anything worse. That’s a lot of tar to be on two little pups!
Television Stars
Once the dogs were cleared to find a forever home, the animal shelter took the very photogenic pups for a television appearance. Everyone was amazed to see how calm and well-behaved the pups were, even after the ordeal that they had both been through.
Home
The rescue was hoping that someone would turn on their television, and fall in love with the pups like they had. It was also hoped that the pair would adopted as a pair, seeing as they had gone through so much together. Since they had both been through the same traumatizing ordeal, it only made sense that they should spend the rest of their lives with one another.
Terrible Discovery
After the rescuers found the other bodies of the dogs in the tar pit, and investigation ensued. It was suspected someone threw the dogs into the pits and since then, officials also worked on spreading awareness to Chileans about animal abuse.
Animal Cruelty
Animal cruelty is a terrible thing – it is only because of the heroic acts of the Airsoft team that heard their cries for help that these puppies lived another day. Laica and Lancelot made many appearances at local events on behalf of the shelter and to raise awareness of canine abuse.
The Fight For Their Lives
Not surprisingly, these two beautiful dogs were scooped up by an incredibly loving home. As terrifying and painful as their experience was in the tar pit, their lives took a turn for the better on the day that the team saved their lives. Now, they no longer have to wander the streets in search of food shelter.
Another Homeless Dog
Unfortunately though, there are dogs in Chile who are still treated horribly by the humans in Chile. In March 2016, another dog in a tar pit was rescued in Antofagasta. A father and son happened to come across this poor dog and were able to free it from the tar. The father and son then took the dog to the Clinic Veterinaria Puppies, where the staff members cleaned the tar off the pup. This story like Laica and Lancelot, had a very happy ending, as the family who rescued him, adopted him.
Stray Dog Problem
