Fire crews from Dorchester assisted in the rescuing of six cows from an underground slurry pit on a farm near Water Barn Track.
The farmer reported that the cows had been trapped in the slurry pit for a couple of hours after falling through an inspection cover.
The incident occurred yesterday (Thursday, January 19), with specialist technical rescue teams from Weymouth and Poole also called to assist in the rescue.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said the cows were “safely rescued from their predicament” with the help of farm machinery and using animal rescue strops.
Taking to Facebook, Dorchester Fire Station said: “At approximately 12:40 a crew from Dorchester and two animal rescue teams from Poole Fire Station and Weymouth Fire Station were mobilised to reports of six cows trapped in a underground slurry pit.
“Once in attendance crews got to work by sending two personnel into the pit to attach strops around the cows and with the help from farm machinery we were able to safely remove the cows.
“Throughout this incident we had gas monitors in the pit to make sure there was no dangerous gases present.”
Swan rescue
The rescue service was present at another animal rescue incident yesterday, although on a smaller scale.
Firefighters from Stratton St Margaret were called at around 11:20a.m to remove a stranded swan from a frozen lake near Latton.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) had attended the scene following reports of a swan which had been on the ice for three days.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said that the swan was “exhausted and immobile”.
The team used an inflatable sledge to reach the swan which was placed in the care of the RSPCA, following its removal from the lake.
