Hiker with dog who 'would not continue' rescued from North Shore trail

Rescue crews had to carry an overheated dog down a North Shore hiking trail on Sunday, prompting a reminder about the dangers high temperatures can pose to pets.

North Shore Rescue said its members were called to the Lynn Loop Trail to assist a hiker and dog who were stranded on the mountain after dark.

The hiker's 80-pound boxer "would not continue" along the trail, the rescue group said in a Facebook post.

"While this dog had access to plenty of water throughout his hike and was hiking in the (somewhat cooler) evening, it is likely that the conditions were simply too much for the pup," North Shore Rescue wrote.

Dogs with shorter snouts can't cool themselves as efficiently as those with longer snouts that allow for "drawing air over the large surface area of their tongue when panting," according to the post.

Volunteers loaded the boxer into a backpack and carried him down the trail to a location where the animal could be loaded onto an all-terrain vehicle and driven to safety.

With an ongoing heat wave on B.C.'s South Coast, North Shore Rescue said the incident should serve as a reminder to hikers about the need to prepare – and potentially even reassess plans – during intense conditions.

More information is available on the group's website. 

A pet boxer is carried to safety after apparently getting overheated on the Lynn Loop Trail near North Vancouver, B.C., on Aug. 13, 2023.