May 10th 2024.
A beautiful horse from Brazil, affectionately named Caramelo by social media users, became the center of attention all over the nation when he was spotted stranded on a rooftop in the southern region of the country. This incident took place in the midst of massive floods that have tragically claimed the lives of more than 100 people.
After being spotted, it took about 24 hours for a team in the state of Rio Grande do Sul to successfully rescue Caramelo, bringing a glimmer of hope to the devastated region. The brown horse had been precariously balancing on two narrow strips of slippery asbestos in the city of Canoas, which is located in the Porto Alegre metropolitan area - one of the hardest-hit areas in the state. The whole area has been cut off by the rising floodwaters.
Captain Tiago Franco, a firefighter from Sao Paulo who led the rescue mission, described the animal as being in a weakened state. He also mentioned that they approached Caramelo in a calm manner, trying not to scare him. The rescue team, consisting of firefighters and veterinarians, had to carefully navigate their way onto the mostly submerged roof, tranquilize and immobilize the horse, and then transport him on an inflatable raft - all 350 kilograms of him! The operation involved four inflatable boats and four support vessels, with the help of firefighters, soldiers, and other volunteers.
The entire rescue was broadcasted live on television, with helicopters capturing the entire process. Social media influencer Felipe Neto, who has a following of nearly 17 million people, provided updates to his followers as the rescue was taking place. Afterward, he even offered to adopt Caramelo, showing his love and support for the brave horse.
Janja, the wife of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, shared a video of herself breaking the good news to the Brazilian leader at an official event. He was delighted to hear that Caramelo had been successfully rescued and gave a thumbs up and a hug to his wife. The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, also expressed his joy and admiration for the rescue, stating that all lives matter and that they stand united in the face of this disaster.
Caramelo is currently recovering at a veterinary hospital affiliated with a university. According to veterinarian and professor Mariângela Allgayer, he arrived in a very dehydrated state. The seven-year-old horse had characteristics that suggest he was used as a draft animal for a cart, as explained by Bruno Schmitz, one of the veterinarians who helped rescue and evaluate Caramelo. Schmitz also mentioned that the horse is very gentle, which made the administration of sedatives much easier.
The stranded horse is just one of the many animals that rescue workers have been tirelessly trying to save in recent days. According to the state's housing secretariat, about 10,000 animals have been rescued by agents in Rio Grande do Sul since last week, while thousands more have been saved by volunteers and municipal workers. Heartwarming scenes of pets reuniting with their owners and difficult rescue missions have been shared by animal protection groups and volunteers on social media.
One particularly touching video shows a man crying tears of joy as he embraces his four dogs after rescuers went back to his home to save them. The heavy rains and flooding in Rio Grande do Sul have claimed the lives of at least 107 people, with 136 still reported missing and over 230,000 people displaced, according to state authorities. While there is no official count for the number of animals that have been killed or are still missing, local media estimate that the number is in the thousands.
In Canoas, the city where Caramelo was rescued, pet owners celebrated as they lined up to receive donations at a makeshift animal shelter organized by volunteers. Despite all the bad news, this successful rescue has given people in the area a glimmer of hope. Twenty-three-year-old Guilherme Santos, who was seeking dog food for his two puppies, expressed his optimism by saying that if they can rescue a horse, they can surely rescue all the missing dogs as well. Carla Sassi, the chairwoman of Grad, a Brazilian nonprofit that rescues animals after disasters, is working with state government officials to discuss emergency measures to rescue pets.
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