When a wild heron became tangled in a fishing line wrapped around a tree, firefighters in Temecula, California, came to its rescue. Animal control officers brought the bird to a local veterinarian for treatment, but despite their best efforts to help, it had to be euthanized humanely.
"It was in too much distress to survive," a veterinarian at Care Animal Hospital told Patch.
When residents in the Harveston Lake community in Temecula noticed the poor animal hanging from the tree, they immediately called emergency services. Firefighters said when they arrived, the bird seemed exhausted from attempting to free itself.
The heron was so high in the tree that the firefighters' extended ladder couldn't even reach it, so rescuers had to use a pike pole to bridge the distance and cut the line. Animal Friends of the Valleys Animal Control officers rushed the bird to the Care Animal Hospital for treatment, but it was too traumatized from the day's events to recover.
Patch reported that Harveston Lake allows fishing as long as anglers release fish back into the water. All residents, except those under 16, must have a valid City of Temecula fishing permit.
According to the city website, there are several rules residents must follow when fishing at Harveston Lake Park.
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"Only catch-and-release fishing using artificial lures with barbless hooks is allowed (no bait!). Fishing only in designated areas. All fishing lines must be attended at all times. All fishing lines and hooks must be disposed of in provided receptacles. Exercise care when casting to prevent injury or entanglement of people and wildlife," it says.
Patch explained that the city provides several trash cans designated for used fishing lines around the park.
Temecula local Lisa Berck witnessed the heroic rescue and was "heartbroken" to find out the heron didn't make it. She believed that the heron's painful death could've been prevented if people followed the park rules and disposed of their fishing lines responsibly. But unfortunately, Berck has seen plenty of other birds and animals tangled in fishing gear.
"Every day, there are people out there fishing," Berck told Patch. "We see ducks getting hooks in their beaks and turtles caught up in the fishing line. It is terrible because we seriously have to see this so often that they don't clean up after themselves, and sadly, sometimes these kids do these things on purpose for the thrill."
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Yes — always 
While many of these animal rescues have happy endings — such as when firefighters saved an owl hanging 50 feet in the air tangled in golf course netting and when a rescue team freed a seal trapped in a fishing net — these increasingly common incidences are great reminders to leave no trace and pick up litter where we find it.
Many local environmental groups and companies like The Ocean Cleanup are working to clean plastic from the oceans and waterways to restore ecosystems and help animals thrive. If you want to be part of these efforts, consider donating to conservation groups or taking action in your community. By keeping the environment free of debris, both humans and animals will have a better experience.
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