RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA — “Eli the Mule” was recovering Saturday after a painful and potentially fatal bout with colic caused him to lie down in his stall until he was rescued by an Orange County Fire Authority technical rescue team and a veterinarian, authorities said.
Meet Eli the Mule.
He is alive today thanks to professional and compassionate teamwork.
Eli had been lying down for hours in his stall yesterday in Trabuco Canyon, unable to stand and suffering from painful colic that would have been fatal if he remained down too long. pic.twitter.com/JEfJgfw931
— OCFA (@OCFireAuthority) July 19, 2025
The drama played out Friday in the unincorporated Trabuco Canyon community north of Rancho Santa Margarita, according to an OCFA post on X.
Eli’s owner and friends tried repeatedly to get him to stand and finally reached out to OCTA Station 18 for help, according to fire officials.
Firefighters, the technical rescue team and the veterinarian were able to hoist Eli back on his feet giving him a chance to recover from the colic, described as abdominal pain from digestive issues.
Eli’s owner told the OCFA he was doing better Saturday.