Why it matters: The successful rescue shows the lengths emergency services will go to protect animal welfare, with crews deploying specialist water rescue equipment and working through challenging conditions to save the trapped livestock.
The details: Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was called to attend the large animal rescue at 20:28 on Saturday, 20 September, after reports of a cow stuck up to its shoulders in a river in Rendlesham.
Appliances were mobilised from Princes Street, Woodbridge and Orford, with crews meeting the farmer to access the site.
Initial rescue attempts on Saturday evening proved unsuccessful despite firefighters working alongside the farmer to try several techniques, including the use of an inflatable hose and inflatable dinghy.
With safety concerns mounting in the dark, crews made the decision to hand the situation back to the farmer overnight, though they remained ready to return at first light if the cow remained trapped.
What happened next: When daylight returned on Sunday, fire crews were back on scene from around 09:30. By 11:30, a whole-time crew from Princes Street and an on-call crew from Orford were waiting for the arrival of a vet to assist with another attempt at rescue.
Animal rescue technicians worked with crews from Ipswich East and, having liaised with a water flood rescue technician, were able to locate the cow and encourage her into a shallower area of the river.
Crews were then able to apply straps and lines to help support the cow's weight, whilst efforts were made to clear the bank to improve access.
Once a space had been cleared and the slope of the riverbank had been reprofiled to make it less steep, general purpose lines were used to assist the cow from the water and up onto the open field.
The rescue was completed at 12:36.
The bigger picture: The incident involved crews liaising with a water flood rescue technician and deploying a Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Unimog all-terrain vehicle on the opposite bank of the river. Throughout the operation, the cow did not appear to have sustained any injuries and remained under the care of the farmer.
The bottom line: The successful rescue showcases the dedication of Suffolk's emergency services and the importance of specialist animal rescue capabilities, with crews persevering through challenging overnight conditions to ensure the safe recovery of the trapped cow.
