Lucky dog saved from swift river

A young dog named Lucky was successfully rescued from the treacherous banks of a fast-moving river in Barnsley thanks to the efforts of skilled rescuers and local volunteers. The one-year-old pointer-Labrador earned his name when a passerby heard him barking at the bottom of a steep drop beneath a bridge over the River Dearne.

Teams from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, along with local dog rescue groups K9-RSQ and HARTSAR, arrived to safely retrieve the pup from the reeds and bring him to solid ground. Erica Hart of HARTSAR emphasized that without the alert dog walker, Luckys situation would have been fatal. She explained that the drop to reach him was at least 30 to 40 feet, making the rescue unsafe for untrained individuals.

Lucky was located directly under the bridge near the Old Moor Tavern at Broomhill. Hart and K9-RSQ volunteer Glen Dent were the first to assess the scene. Using a drone, they determined the safest access point to reach the dog and called in the fire service for assistance. Dent recalled that the dog appeared anxious and as though he might leap into the water, but with calm encouragement, Lucky was persuaded into the rescue boat.

Once the pup was back on solid ground, RSPCA rescue officer Danielle Drury described finding Lucky curled up on the reeds, likely exhausted from barking. Drury was unable to determine how he ended up there, but the microchip record indicated he had been informally rehomed the previous month. Despite the ordeal, Lucky was unharmed and received some sausages from a bystander before being handed to Drury by the firefighters, who had battled the strong current while maneuvering the dinghy.

Lucky is currently staying in private kennels and is scheduled to move to the RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre next week. He has been checked by a veterinarian and, apart from being slightly underweight, is in good health. Rescuers described him as a friendly and cooperative dog who remained calm throughout the operation, highlighting the teamwork that ensured his safe recovery.

Author: Jackson Miller