DRIGGS, Idaho — Teton County Idaho Search and Rescue (TCISAR) was mobilized for its second river rescue in seven days on Wednesday to respond to a Teton River incident. All human participants were safely rescued, but the family’s dog did not survive, despite wearing a personal floatation device (PFD).
TCISAR Director Ron Razzolini, who led the rescue, said that the river party got caught in a large, overhanging willow bush. Razzolini said the group included kayakers and paddleboarders, and that the dog was swimming at times.
“Not only the dog, but people got caught up in the bush,” Razzolini told Buckrail. “Kayaks got swamped, some paddles were lost. … The poor dog got caught up in it. They did the right thing — they had a PFD [on the dog]. … It’s tough. I certainly feel for the folks that lost their dog. That just makes a scary situation even worse.”
Razzolini noted that the river is running high and fast, adding that it’s the tail end of runoff season. He recommends making a quick visual assessment of the river before embarking on a float trip at this time of year.
“Watch the weather, and take a look at the river when you drive over it or at the boat ramps and you can see if it’s pushing out of its banks and into the fields, which is what’s going on right now,” he said. “It’s right at that point and that tends to push you to the edges, which complicates things. … If that little feeling in your gut says, ‘Maybe not today,’ listen to your gut. And if you need help, if you get hung up, don’t hesitate to call 911.”
