When I was on active service it was made very clear we were obligated to render assistance in any emergency until proper authorities arrived with greater resources( including skill) To do anything less, if observed fell under the civilian concept of Depraved Indifference and several articles of the UCMJ. As a civilian, I am becoming almost as frightened of the legal fallout as the adrenal rush and pavlovian response to act. I recently evacuated a few horses during a local brushfire next to the 101 freeway. I had the skill, a familiar gametrail escape route and a safe evacuation point( a fenced tennis court.) I even had the permission of the local CHP and Fire Department who know me. 3, 1200 lb frightened animals are the last thing an allready taxed firecrew and CHiPS shutting down a major freeway need running around in blind fear. My thanks? One of the horses suffered a pretty nasty looking wound to the cannon bone of a rear leg. It took the DVM all of 20 minutes to clean up the mess. It's going to take me a formal appearance in court. The owners called Animal Control and I am being sued. My own horses were inspected by the Agency that has called on me countless times to 'volunteer' during major fires. They have a photo of me standing waistdeep in the surf controlling 2 burned horses during the Malibu fire. Now I know why people hide behind tinted windows <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />