A horse in Illinois that was swept away during severe flooding has been safely reunited with his owner after an intense rescue effort involving firefighters, veterinarians, and animal emergency specialists.
The horse, named Troy, was found stranded in Coon Creek, roughly 60 miles northwest of Chicago. He was standing on a small patch of land about 600 feet from shore, surrounded by fast-moving water. According to the Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts, the current was strong and the creek was estimated to be around 15 feet deep, which made a direct rescue impossible.
Photos shared by the fire service showed Troy, a brown-and-white horse, standing in water nearly up to his shoulders while waiting for help.
To reach him, rescuers built a temporary raft. Equine veterinarian Nicky Wessel was taken out by boat so she could examine Troy and give him medication, since he was starting to show signs of hypothermia after spending so long in the cold floodwater.
A broader team, including members of the Wisconsin Large Animal Emergency Response technical response unit, then worked out a plan to secure the frightened horse to a boat raft and guide him carefully across the creek to a nearby roadway. From there, he was loaded into a horse trailer and taken for veterinary care.
The rescue involved close to 50 people and took around eight hours to complete.
A few days later, Troy was back home at his farm in McHenry County. His owner, Ashley Beaulieu, said the ordeal was heartbreaking, especially because she could see him stranded and frightened without being able to reach him herself.
She explained that after a violent rainstorm the day before, the family’s farm worker went to check on Troy and the other horses and discovered Troy missing from the barn. Attempts to rescue him right away were unsuccessful, which led to the emergency response.
Troy, a 20-year-old Appaloosa, is now back in his stable and recovering well. Beaulieu said the most important thing is that he survived hypothermia, adding that at several moments it seemed like he was close to giving up, but he kept fighting through.
Veterinarian Wessel later said she brought warm water, hay, and calming medication to help prepare him for the rescue. She also noted that Troy now looks much better — and smells much better — than he did when they first met in the muddy floodwaters.