Injured dog: Carry out or leave him?

Agree with Geeves. Another thing to consider is that Govt departments are so conscious of their public image these days, that a decision to refuse a rescue to save a dog (while it may be against policy, guidelines etc) could create a PR nightmare for them being portrayed as "meanies" in the public eye by a media always keen to print frenzied & polarising stories

> The distress beacon system and SAR generally in NZ exists to save human life. While we accept that many who are in the outdoors and marine environment love their pets, the national SAR exists for humans. It also does not include property such as vessels. That's an interesting response from the RCCNZ - especially the comment specifically excluding property. It's getting academic but the General Licence which makes it legal to activate a 406MHz PLB specifically states it's allowed "for obtaining assistance where the safety of life or property is threatened". https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2005-go3930 It might be a questionable thing to do, and I'm sure you could expect plenty of out-of-context media bashing. But even if you ignore that a dog's life is also "life", you could also point out that if a dog's considered your property then maybe that also makes it at least within regulations to activate the PLB. There are a few other things to consider with a PLB, too. For example, what happens if you get something unexpected like a LandSAR team instead of a helicopter? Also none of this guarantees a rescue crew will help your dog when they actually show up. Just because the licence for triggering a PLB allows it for property doesn't mean the responding agency has to have a policy of assisting with the saving of property.

I see Cosmo the police dog was carted on the Westpac rescue helicopter after being stabbed in the neck. Yes I understand how police dogs are viewed whilst in the line of duty. But he is still a dog.

True. To be honest I doubt that after the sar has responded and found it was a dog rather than human they are not going to do what they can for the situation. If its a helicopter then it can fly back empty or with the dog. It still has to fly back. I would imagine though that it would be made very clear to media that the fact it had happened was not to become common knowledge and a big donation to the xmas fund wouldnt go amiss