Vancouver firefighters responded to an unusual call this weekend.
While calls related to animals aren't unheard of, rescuing a horse that had fallen into a 10-foot ditch isn't an everyday occurrence. However, on Monday, Feb. 21, the Vancouver Fire Rescue Service (VFRS) technical rescue team, along with other crews, did just that.
"We coordinated with the local riding stable to assist with the extrication of the horse due to the size and complexity of lifting it up a 10-foot ditch and the health of the horse," Asst. Chief Kane Morishita tells Vancouver Is Awesome. "This was truly a team effort with the riding stable, civilians and VFRS to make this a successful effort."
The horse was able to walk away, after being rescued. Morishita isn't sure exactly how the horse ended up in the ditch.
The VFRS responds to a variety of animal calls each year says Deputy Chief Tyler Moore in an email to Vancouver Is Awesome.
"They sometimes include animals of all types," Moore says. "We don’t generally respond to a 'Cat in a tree' call but we have attended when civilians have put themselves in harm's way trying to get cats down or when they are trapped in more peculiar situations. We have definitely responded to horse incidents before but mostly for people falling off them."
