As community servants, firefighters often dedicate their efforts to rescuing local animals as well as people. One dog in Leicestershire, England, is undoubtedly grateful for this.
The curious dog, Winston, spent two and a half days stuck inside an underground badger sett (den). On Tuesday, March 2, 2022, rescue crews were called to Diamond Jubilee Wood to help safely recover him.
Winston Spends 60 Hours Trapped Underground
According to Kirklees Badger Protection Group, badger dens in this area are protected. That means a dog that crawls inside might be there for 48 hours before action is taken, and then a request has to be made to Natural England for a license to dig.
Winston’s owners had to wait a grueling length of time before contacting rescue services for help. The poor dog had been stuck in that den for 60 hours.
“This is why it is important to keep your dog/dogs on a lead near a known badger sett – especially during cub season,” Kirklees Badger Protection Group wrote on Facebook.
Badger dens consist of a network of tunnels with several entrances. These winding, intersecting tunnels would make finding the dog inside more difficult. The Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service used special listening and locating devices to determine where in the den Winston was.
Eventually, they picked up the dog’s sound and were able to dig in the right place safely. Winston emerged from his ordeal dirty and shaken, but otherwise unharmed.
Given the evidence, rescuers believe the badger den was not occupied by another animal at the time. Still, this Spaniel was very lucky. Thankfully the fire department is there for pets too.
Keep An Eye Out For Badger Setts
It’s hard to blame Winston for being curious about an interesting-smelling hole in the ground. Still, dog parents should be aware of dens if they live in an area inhabited by the nocturnal mammals.
Badger setts are likely to be built near small clearings in woodlands or copses. Typically, the ground near the sett entrance will be notably free of vegetation and may show evidence of badger prints. You can learn more about how to spot badger setts here.
Badgers are carnivorous, but they prey on smaller mammals like mice and voles and would likely have a hard time eating a dog. Still, their bites can carry disease.
Always keep an eye out on your dog’s behalf because you can read this information, but they can’t.
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