Communities join forces to rescue horses from flood

MERRITT, B.C. - When a community comes together, anything is possible. 

In November, flooding occurred in the rural city of Merritt, British Columbia, forcing residents to evacuate. Merritt is home to members of the Nlaka'pamux First Nation, many of whom farm and raise livestock. The flooding meant much of this community's livestock were at risk of being swept away. 

Lisa Moses, a member of the Nlaka'pamux First Nation, attempted to help rescue her friends' team of horses who were stranded as water rose around the frightened animals. All of the rescue services in the area were being used to evacuate members of the community, so Lisa and her friends were on their own. 

"After about five hours, the horses just wouldn't move. At that time we were watching mobile homes drift in the background... and we had seen some cattle get swept away. We felt pretty hopeless," Moses said. 

After many attempts at coaxing the horses to safety, Moses took to social media, asking people in her city and surrounding areas for help. Eventually a member of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, a neighboring Indigenous community, reached out and offered help. A group of Okanagan cowboys arrived with a tin motor boat and aided Lisa and her friends in their attempt to rescue the team. 

Watch the video above to see how this rescue effort ends.