Fishermen Spot Heads Bobbing In A Lake And Realize 38 Dogs Need Their Help
Bob Gist and Brad Carlisle had come to Mississippi’s Grenada Lake to catch crappie. Before long, they were reaching over the side of their boat for something neither had expected.
Dogs. Dozens of them, swimming far from shore.
On June 8, 2024, the friends were out with local fishing guide Jordan Chrestman when their fishing trip became a rescue. By the time it ended, 38 hounds would be back on dry land.
A fishing trip takes an unexpected turn
Chrestman noticed the dogs and brought the boat closer. They wore tracking collars, and painted identification numbers stood out on their sides.
These were hunting hounds, but something had gone badly wrong. Far out on the lake, some were swimming in circles instead of making their way toward land.
“There were dogs everywhere,” Gist told The Associated Press.
The men learned that the hounds had been taking part in a fox hunt when they chased a deer into the water. The pursuit had carried them out into the lake, where they became disoriented.
From the boat, the fishermen could see that the dogs needed help getting back.
One dog at a time, the boat fills up
Chrestman steered alongside the hounds while Gist and Carlisle pulled them aboard.
The boat that had carried three men out to fish soon had dogs crowded around its seats and across its bow. According to local reporting, the first load included 27 hounds.
They took that group to shore. Then they returned for more.
One white dog had initially snapped when the men reached toward him. Unable to lift him aboard during that attempt, they continued helping the others.
When they came back for the second load, Gist told Jonesboro Right Now, roughly 30 to 45 minutes had passed. This time, the white dog let them bring him into the boat.
He, too, was going back to land.
They keep going until 38 dogs are safe
During the rescue, a man with a GPS tracker helped the crew locate more dogs.
Some of the hounds were struggling to keep their heads above water. The men had to support their heads before hauling them aboard, Gist told the AP.
He estimated that the last dogs rescued had spent 45 minutes to an hour in the lake.
The rescue took three trips to shore. Across those trips, the men brought 38 dogs out of the water.
The owners offered money, but the rescuers declined. As Jonesboro Right Now reported, Chrestman had a simple request instead.
“When you see us in trouble, ya’ll come help us.”
Gist credited the guide with recognizing the danger and getting the rescue underway. Together, the three men had turned an ordinary morning on the lake into a way home for dozens of exhausted dogs.
In Gist’s photograph, hounds fill a boat meant for fishing. Two look ahead beside the driver, while others stand together near the bow.
For those dogs, the next trip across the lake came with somewhere to rest their paws.
Share their story to give these three rescuers the recognition they deserve.
Also read:
On Christmas Night, a Severely Burned Kitten Walked Into a Garage Looking for Help
After 11 Years of Loyalty, He Was Left Behind. Until a Little Girl Saw the Dog No One Else Did
