Floods call for the extra mile from animal officers

Diving into flooded paddocks in their underwear is not normal practice for Palmerston North animal control officers. But Monday, February 16, was not a usual day at the office.

Rusty Galloway, Peter Broughton, Charles Baker and Lance Iwikau arrived at work at Palmerston North City Council animal pound at 8am as usual and then all hell broke loose, Mr Galloway said.

The men were honoured by the SPCA yesterday for their role in rescuing distressed animals during last month's floods.

The first call came soon after 8am from Val Gilbert at Palmerston North SPCA.

A horse was stranded in a paddock beside the river, which was below the stopbank in Ruamahanga St. It was a thoroughbred of about 16 hands but the fast-flowing water was covering its back, Mr Galloway recalled.

"Charles Baker stripped to his underpants and singlet and swam out to the horse, which was standing on the far side of the paddock."

But the horse ran back toward the animal control officers on the other bank, hit a submerged fence, panicked and ran back toward Mr Baker.

Mr Broughton waded into the water - which was above his waist - and dived under to cut the fence, Mr Galloway said.

"It was distressing for us to see it but luckily enough the horse came to that area and found its way out."

The men secured the animal and contacted the SPCA to find its owner.

Memories of that day still haunt Mr Galloway and his co-workers. They looked on helplessly as exhausted cattle battled against the current.

"Cattle get hypothermia so quickly and they're not the greatest swimmers. We just had to let them float past."

They also watched in horror as others charged onlookers after they made it to shore.

"Just after 5pm a cattle beast came out of the river into trees at the back of the Esplanade. It became quite agitated and was attacking people. Manawatu Vets in Feilding were called because no one else had a dart gun."

It took until 10pm to sedate the animal and get it on a horse float, where it slept all the way to the pound, he said.

The cattle that made it to shore were distressed, agitated and aggressive. Even so, the animal control officers walked them to the pound.

- NZPA