The London Fire Brigade has spent over £3.3 million since January 2009 rescuing animals in distress. These animals range from cats, dogs, lizards, snakes, fish, and
even a goat. According to data released by the London Assembly and the Mayor of London, the Fire Brigade has attended 9,256 animal-related incidents, with costs ranging from £250 to nearly £4,000 per rescue.
The data reveals that London firefighters have spent a total of 10,814 hours rescuing animals since 2009, and the estimated cost is based on the number of pump ladders (Fire Engines) used and the time it takes to complete the rescue. For example, a dog rescue that required four fire engines in Enfield in December 2010 had an estimated cost of £1,040.
Cats have been involved in the most animal rescues, with firefighters attending 4,535 cat-related calls and spending 5,158 hours rescuing them. Of the 4,535 cat-related calls, 611 were for cats stuck in trees, taking up a total of 683 hours. One such incident in August 2022 in Downhills Park, Wood Green, took three hours to resolve, and the cost was £1,092 after a member of the public tried to retrieve the cat and got stuck in the tree.
Birds come in second on the list of animals requiring assistance, with one unfortunate swan flying low over the River Thames and getting stuck in a tree on an island in the middle of the stream, taking three hours to extricate at a cost of £999.
In January 2023, firefighters from three stations attended a scene in Kenley, South London, where a goat named Gandalf had become stuck on a 35-metre high cliff edge after being separated from the rest of its herd. Firefighters worked quickly to assess the situation, and their drone team helped distract Gandalf and allowed crews to put a line over the goat and pull it up to safety.
Animal rescues have been a significant cost for the London Fire Brigade, with the old cliche of firefighters rescuing cats from trees alone costing the Brigade £207,715. Despite the cost, the Brigade has continued to provide essential assistance to animals in distress.
In conclusion, the London Fire Brigade has provided invaluable assistance to animals in need since 2009, with cats being involved in the most animal-related incidents. The cost of animal rescues may be high, but the Fire Brigade has remained committed to providing essential aid to animals in distress. Photo by Chris Sampson, Wikimedia commons.