A curious pooch was rescued following a major operation by firefighters after spending two days stuck in a live badger sett. Arlo, the Lakeland Terrier, had fallen into the set while walking in a field with his dogsitters.
When the fluffy dog became lodged in the hole, Arlo’s carers frantically contacted the RSPCA, who rushed to the scene. But the rescue team suffered a lengthy delay before they were able to start digging Arlo out, as they needed to apply for a licence before touching the live sett.
By the time the RSPCA had their licence accepted, Arlo had found himself stuck 1.5m (4.9ft) down the hole and he could no longer be seen or heard by his dogsitters. The fire and rescue team was called in and was finally able to locate Arlo with the help of a special camera, pulling him to safety 48 hours later.
Nick, who had been looking after Arlo with Zoe for her mum, said: “He was understandably tired, hungry and very thirsty. Despite being given a good drink he was still looking for muddy puddles to lap.
“Arlo wasn’t his usual inquisitive and bouncy self for a couple of days. But he’s back to normal now, barking at the window when you arrive home. We want to thank the RSPCA and fire and rescue – they were both unbelievably supportive and informative.”
Dean Wilkins, the RSPCA and animal rescue officer who attended the scene said the rescue mission in Kingsbury Episcopi, Somerset, was a joint effort.
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He said: “We had to apply for a licence to do so in the presence of an RSPCA wildlife officer. This meant a lengthy delay before we could start digging.
“Once we got the permission however, there was another problem - we couldn’t see, or initially hear, Arlo. We needed help, so I called on the local fire and rescue service in Glastonbury. They arrived with a special camera to locate the dog, who was wedged down in the sett.”
He added: “This rescue was a great example of teamwork and what we can do together for animal welfare. We’re delighted to know Arlo’s now doing well after his adventure. This incident is a reminder that it’s always a good idea to keep your dog on a lead if you see signs of badger setts around.”
