Animal rescue

One fire engine from Wells, the specialist rescue team from Bridgwater and specialist officers were mobilised to a call from a farmer that his bull was stuck in a rhyne and he now needed assistance to get it out. On arrival of the first crew, the bull was confirmed to be shoulder deep and weighing approximately 700kg. The bull was not in distress and a plan was being formulated whilst awaiting the arrival of the SRT. 

The telehandler from the Urban Search and Rescue team in Exeter was requested as the farmer had no heavy lifting machinery available. 

The vet was in attendance to help with ensuring the animal was in no harm and crews got to work attaching strops to the bull. The bull had to be sedated and crews were able to remove the bull from the drainage rhyne into an adjacent field using the telehandler. Fire crews then assisted the vet and owners to keep the bull stable and upright until they were able to leave the scene.