Before becoming our indoor animals, pets originally existed in the wild. Over time, certain animals have evolved into forms that are markedly distinct from their original breeds. However, certain species have a look similar to that of their wild ancestors. It’s quite confusing, and in a recent incident, kind-hearted individuals near a frozen lake came to the rescue of what they thought was a ‘dog’ in trouble. Yet, it was only after the successful rescue that they realized the rescued animal was not a dog at all.
The incident took place in Estonia on the frozen Pärnu River. When they saw the animal that day, three construction workers, Erki Väli, Robin Sillamäe, and Rando Kartsepp, were cleaning the river.
They assumed it was a dog that had become stranded in the middle of the river and was isolated from the shore by a thin ice floe. Observing the animal’s struggle to reach safety, the workers felt compelled to intervene.
The three Estonians forged a path through the ice, united in their determination, allowing the animal to reach the shore. By the time it arrived at the workers, the creature was completely exhausted and covered in icicles.
The crew wrapped the animal in blankets and transported it to a vet clinic for additional care after realizing it was suffering from severe hypothermia. “We had to carry him over the slope. He weighed a fair bit,” Kartsepp shared.
The animal was remarkably calm throughout the ordeal, acting much like a dog begging for attention. “He was calm, slept on my legs. When I wanted to stretch them, he raised his head for a moment,” Kartsepp recalled.
Unexpectedly, it turned out that the animal they had saved was a wolf, not a dog. And even the veterinarian on duty was initially fooled.
This remarkable story was shared on the Eestimaa Loomakaitse Liit Facebook page, offering details about the incident and arresting images. You can clearly see from these pictures why the workers initially thought the wild wolf was a stray dog.
The animal was identified as a young male wolf, about a year old, by a local hunter who was knowledgeable about the local flora. The clinic staff decided to keep the animal in a kennel as a precaution after learning the animal’s true identity.
“At first, he was so done in for he didn’t resist at all. We simply kept him in this room. But once he started to get an idea of the situation, I felt things might quickly take a turn for the dangerous. We got him into a cage,” Tarvo Markson, the head of the clinic, explained.
Fortunately, the wolf recovered quickly and was fully healthy again in just one day. The veterinary expenses were kindly paid by the Estonian Union for Animal Protection (EUPA). The EUPA fitted the wolf with a tracker after determining that it was healthy and released it back into the wild. “We are so happy for the outcome of the story, and wish to thank all the participants, especially these men who rescued the wolf and the doctors of the clinic who were not afraid to treat and nurture the wild animal,” EUPA expressed.
In the end, the wolf was indeed fortunate to have been discovered and rescued by these compassionate construction workers. If you like the story, don’t forget to like it and share it with your family and friends. For more stories about the animal kingdom, visit our site now.
