Stories of devoted dog lovers doing brave — and sometimes dangerous — things in order to save their loved ones are generally inspiring to hear. We all know what lengths we would go to for our family.
But it’s always better to know dog dangers in advance when taking your pet to a new place, as a tragic story out of Yellowstone reminds us.
In a press release issued on October 6th, 2021, the Yellowstone National Park Service reported that a 20-year-old woman, later identified as Laiha Slayton, ran into a 200-degree thermal hot spring to save her dog.
Sadly, Slayton suffered severe injuries, and her dog passed away. The story serves as a tragic reminder that pet parents can avoid these incidents with a few safety procedures and precautions, especially around dangerous natural areas like hot springs.
What Happened, & Why It Shouldn’t Have
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Slayton, with her father and dog, Rusty, stopped their car near Maden’s Grave Spring, to take a look around. After being cooped up, dogs tend to make a break for it. So of course, Rusty did just that, b-lining it for what probably appeared to him as a normal water source.
Risking her life, Slayton followed into the hot spring to save Rusty. But rather than saving the dog, she ended up needing saving, herself. Her father pulled her from the spring when her attempt to rescue her dog proved futile.
Yellowstone’s rules state that pets in areas of the park with thermal features — thin, fragile ground above scalding water — are prohibited. While the park doesn’t restrict pets from accompanying their families in other areas, there are warnings to keep pets secure at all times.
Also, the park posts warnings about hot springs, and the nature of them, in general.
An Avoidable Tragedy
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According to updates posted by park officials, Slayton “suffered significant thermal burns from her shoulders to feet,” and unfortunately, Rusty died, anyway.
Slayton’s sister, Kamilla Slayton, who is organizing a GoFundMe campaign for Laiha’s medical expenses, has posted updates to Instagram.
One update said that her sister has burns on over 90 percent of her body, has undergone emergency surgery, and is currently in a medically induced coma.
Fortunately, Laiha’s burns are mostly second-degree, Kamilla said, which she credits to the quick actions of her father.
“This means that our dad pulled her out insanely fast,” she wrote. “She’s incredibly lucky. Dad saved her life. Please send love and praise his way. She was in the scalding water for about 8 seconds.”
She included that her father also badly burned his foot, saving his daughter.
Slayton’s GoFundMe effort has raised more than $40,000 out of a $45,000 goal, as of this posting, and as of Wednesday evening, the burn center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center reported that she is still in critical condition.
Always Research Potential Dog Dangers When You Bring Your Pet
While this story is tragic, it makes crystal clear the importance of responsibly self-educating when traveling in new locations, particularly ones with over 20 documented cases of similar tragedies, one of which happened only a month before.
“Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature,” the Yellowstone Park safety page says.
Staying aware of potential dangers isn’t just for the life of your pets and loved ones, but yourself, as well.
Leiha Slayton is, again, only 20 years old, and doesn’t deserve this, as no one does. Like most dog lovers would, she tried her best to save her dog. And as we all know, that doesn’t always shake out the way we might intend.
If you would like to contribute to her medical expenses to lessen this tragedy, you may do so here.
DogTime also has a guide to safely hiking with your dog here! Following a few precautions can help you prevent a similar tragedy and enjoy the trails with your dog.
Do you do research on the dangers of new areas before traveling with your pet? Do you think that Yellowstone should have more safety guidelines and warnings to prevent these kinds of tragedies, or are they already clear enough? Let us know in the comments below.
