It's a dog's life for local first responders
By Kyra Hoggan
Local fire departments have gone to the dogs – literally – affecting a rope rescue of an American Bulldog named Daisy from under the Brilliant Bridge this afternoon.
Fire chief Gerry Rempel said the call from RCMP came in at 2:09 p.m., and crews arrived to find Daisy had fallen into a crevasse between two boulders at the base of the bridge.
“She was down at the base of the big concrete towers at the Ootischenia end,” Rempel said, adding the crews, once they realized the dog was in Ootischenia Fire Department’s territory, called in their brethren Ootischenia department, who assisted with the rescue.
“The dog had wandered off and the owner and his daughter found her down there,” he said. “We did a rope rescue and got her back to safety with no injuries to the dog – she’s doing fine.”
He said the owners were ecstatic at the happy outcome of the event, and that the fire department is happy to rescue pets when the animals’ lives are endangered.
Ironically, though, he said the stereotypical cat-in-a-tree rescue isn’t an option.
“That’s actually very dangerous, with ladders, branches, power lines …” he said, besides which, the cats can usually get down on their own.
“We’ve got a few (pet rescues) over the last couple of years,” he said. “We had a dog whose leg got stuck in a creek a few years ago.”
Daisy is now home safe and sound with her grateful family.
