Croydon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A dog trapped in a Croydon drainpipe was rescued after firefighters used the scent of a Frankfurter sausage to lure it out, following a walk at Addington Hills.
On a wooded slope, Woodey and Quincey, both eight years old, slipped into the pipe. During the stroll, Quincey was able to escape and began barking to let his owners know that Woodey was stranded.
Lesley, the worried owner, called for assistance from her son and the London Fire Brigade.
She said:
“The noise and echo coming from inside the pipe made it sound like Woodey was having trouble breathing and so I called 999.”
How did the Addington station officer rescue the dog?
Using a snake-eye camera, Addington Station Officer Ray Foster was able to pinpoint Woodey’s precise location after noticing that the dog had slid far into the pipe.
“We decided to break the pipe, our main priority was to not scare the dog and to make sure he was absolutely safe.”
After the pipe was broken, Lesley’s son came with a Frankfurter sausage to lure Woodey out. Woodey was able to scramble back up the pipe to freedom due to the sound of the sledgehammer and the smell of sausage.
After then, firefighters managed to seize Woodey and finish the rescue.
Lesley said: “The firefighters were brilliant and did a great job, we were so relieved!”
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Firefighters love animals too and we’re ready, willing and able to assist distressed or injured animals – the last thing we want is for people to put themselves at risk rescuing an animal themselves – but we do encourage people to call the RSPCA in the first instance and we will assist if our specialist equipment is required, as in this case.”
What training do firefighters receive for animal rescues?
Firefighters get training in basic first aid, CPR, oxygen support, and injury assessment. In addition to live animals, the training includes practical practice with realistic dog dummies.
Animal oxygen masks, muzzles, snares, eye wash, antibiotic ointment, and treats are among the medical kits that firefighters carry in order to help entice scared animals out of hiding.
In certain areas, firemen undergo specialized training on how to handle large animals like cattle and horses. The many methods required for safely recovering larger species are covered in this program, along with the health and safety considerations of working in agricultural settings.