Anyone ever call the fire brigade to rescue a pet?

Run_to_da_hills

Years ago the next door neighbours called them to get a kitten down from a tree, half an hour later it was back up again.

Saw this one in the press today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1129816/Pictured-Soggy-moggy-makes-great-escape-freezing-river-drain-ignoring-firefighters-rescue-efforts.html

sorella

One of ours climbed a tall tree, showing off in front of the dog. The tree is old and he is a heavy cat; branches falling off as he insisted on getting right to the very top.... The more I called to him the higher he went.

I could not watch and came away; keeping a wary eye from a distance.. and down he came, inelegantly and noisily. And more slowly than he went up

We are out in the boonies here so calling the fire brigade would never be an option.

sillymoo

I was tempted once when the cat got stuck up a tree.

Then I thought about how stupid it would be. So I rang my boyfriend instead.

Run_to_da_hills

sillymoo wrote: »

I was tempted once when the cat got stuck up a tree.

Then I thought about how stupid it would be. So I rang my boyfriend instead.

They have the ladders etc and are used of heights. I have a mate who worked part time in the Ennis fire station, he had some funny stories, I doubt if the lads would be paid the stand by call out rate for rescuing a cat.

sillymoo

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

They have the ladders etc and are used of heights. I have a mate who worked part time in the Ennis fire station, he had some funny stories, I doubt if the lads would be paid the stand by call out rate for rescuing a cat.

TBH id rather call the fire brigade for a real emergency. The cat came down eventually.

oneweb

A cat will always find its own way down from a tree, unless of course it's physically attached to a branch or something.

Calling the fire brigade out to rescue a stubborn cat is no laughing matter for whoever could have needed the same fire brigade at a road accident or blaze, in which case every second counts.

sorella

Sometimes they do fall though.

I had one Siamese walked out through a 4th floor window onto concrete; their night vision sometimes cannot tell flat from height.

And another who fell from a large bush because he did not realise he was heavier now.

The one I mentioned; there were holly bushes underneath and he would have impaled himself; and the branches he was on were so brittle.

We had plenty of kindling that week.

And another reason why I do not put collars on them... they can get hung up by them.

oneweb;58815797]A cat will always find its own way down from a tree, unless of course it's physically attached to a branch or something.

Calling the fire brigade out to rescue a stubborn cat is no laughing matter for whoever could have needed the same fire brigade at a road accident or blaze, in which case every second counts.[/quote]

spurious

I saw the fire brigade help get a dog out of the Tolka beside North Strand Fire Station once. The river level was low and the dog was hugely distressed, flailing about in the mud trying to get back up the river wall. Once they arrived, it only took them a couple of minutes. There was no way it was going to get out itself. A cat up a tree is well able to get down.

Run_to_da_hills

oneweb wrote: »

A cat will always find its own way down from a tree, unless of course it's physically attached to a branch or something.

Calling the fire brigade out to rescue a stubborn cat is no laughing matter for whoever could have needed the same fire brigade at a road accident or blaze, in which case every second counts.

I would agree, some people are stupid and don't understand a cats capabilities hoverer there are cases where people would only endanger their own lives trying to rescue an animal, such as if it was stuck down a man hole or up some lamp post. Cats can often climb into awkward places if chased by dogs.

The fire service will always give priority to real emergencies and will drop tools if they got called out in the meantime.

sarahirl

spurious wrote: »

I saw the fire brigade help get a dog out of the Tolka beside North Strand Fire Station once. The river level was low and the dog was hugely distressed, flailing about in the mud trying to get back up the river wall. Once they arrived, it only took them a couple of minutes. There was no way it was going to get out itself. A cat up a tree is well able to get down.

the differences between cats and dogs....

can't link directly to this poem on cats aid website but it's about giving a cat a pill and a dog a pill.... needless to say one involved bloodshed and the other involved bacon.

i don't think it's fair to say that the fire brigade being called out for a pet in distress would distract from their emergency duties. don't think they'd refuse to go a burning building cos a puddycats decided it doesn't like the ground anymore...

spurious

I suppose it helped that the fire brigade station was about 30 yards from where the dog went in. It was a big feel good event for all involved, including witnesses. The poor dog leapt all over his owner, covering him in what I hope was mud.