Shropshire Star

Appeal to find owner of dog stuck on Telford lake overnight

An appeal has been launched to find the owner of a dog that was trapped overnight on the bank of a lake in Telford.

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Rescue teams from the RSPCA and Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service were sent to Simpsons Pool in Horsehay on Friday morning to rescue a terrier-type dog believed to have been stranded since Thursday.

A boat team and operations officer from the fire service were sent from Shrewsbury at about 11.20am to take to the water, while a rope rescue team from the RSPCA approached from the path above.

Firefighters were at the lake for about two hours before the dog, which had fallen down rocks 10 metres high and landed on a parcel of land about three metres above water, made it to safety.

Cheryl Hague, of the RSPCA, said: "We were called to reports that a dog was stuck on a ledge at Simpson Pool.

“We attended the scene on Friday and could see that the Jack Russell-type dog was trapped in a small area about 10 metres down from the path and about three metres above the water. It is understood they had been stuck on the ledge overnight.

“The RSPCA’s rope team were called in to try and reach the dog from above. We also called for the assistance of Shropshire Fire & Rescue’s boat team who were in the water so they could capture the dog in case the dog fell from the ledge during the rescue.

Members of Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service and the RSPCA at Simpsons Pool in Telford. Photo: SFRS

“As our rope team went into rescue the dog, it scrambled up the 10-metre high rocks onto the path and to safety before making a quick getaway – the dog was too quick and ran off purposely as though they knew where they were and were determined to get home.

"We hope the dog is now back safe with their owners who will no doubt not have realised what their pet had been up to."