Moose on the loose again in Gloucestershire (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Moose on the loose again in Gloucestershire

2:50pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News

A HORSE had to be rescued by firefighters today after it slipped in mud and became trapped in a metal fence.

Gloucestershire fire service received a call from a concerned horse owner at Church Lane, Toddington after her horse, Moose, trapped its leg in a metal fence.

In order to free Moose safely, Winchcombe fire service received specialised animal rescue equipment from Gloucester North fire station. In just over one hour, a total thirteen fire-fighters rescued the horse and he is now back to his fighting fit-self.

Moose had been enjoying a run around its stable when it slipped in wet mud and got its leg trapped in the fence that surrounds his stables in Toddington. Once he was made comfortable by his vet the fire service started to free him.

The crew used enhanced animal rescue equipment from the Special Incident Support Unit to free the horse, which meant that he was released unharmed and after being assessed by the vet was back on his feet.

Speaking about the rescue, Jon Hall, the chief fire officer of Gloucestershire Fire Service, said: “The rescue was a great success and I am proud of all the hard work conducted by the crew. When the crew arrived it was clear that Moose had been distressed and that we had to get to work as soon as possible.

“The crew worked very hard to free Moose and it was a big relief to everyone when he got back onto his feet and continued to trot around his field.

Gloucestershire Fire Service have to deal with a great deal of emergencies, and often animal rescue can seem like a small proportion of it, I hope that the rescue that took place in Toddington highlights just a fraction of the hard work the crew do on a daily basis.”