FIREFIGHTERS in Oxfordshire had to rescue hapless animals from rivers, trees and other sticky situations every week last year.

Home Office figures show Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service went to 70 animal callouts in 2018-19 – an average of 1.3 rescues per week.

The rescues were among almost 5,000 carried out across England, with crews attending an average of nearly 100 calls every week.

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Pet rescues made up the bulk of animal assistance callouts in Oxfordshire, with 29 incidents.

This was followed by livestock (26 incidents), with the remainder involving wild animals in need.

Oxfordshire's firefighters were most commonly needed to free animals who had got themselves wedged in tight spots or entangled, such as in fences or drain covers, with crews attending 34 incidents during the year.

​The next most common predicament was animals stuck at height, such as up trees or on roofs, accounting for 15 callouts.

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Altogether, in 2018-19 firefighters from the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended to:

  • 34 animals trapped or entangled
  • 15 rescues from heights
  • 13 water or mud rescues
  • Three heavy animals in need of lifting
  • Two harmed or injured animals
  • Two creatures retrieved from below ground
  • One uncategorised incident

While fire and rescue services encourage people concerned about an animal's welfare to contact the RSPCA first, to avoid calling crews out unnecessarily, the animal rescue charity says the assistance of firefighters is a vital help to their officers.

A spokeswoman said: "We work closely with fire and rescue services across England and Wales and are incredibly grateful to them for support helping us rescue animals from tricky situations, as well as carrying out their own animal rescues.

"Unfortunately there are many times where it simply isn't safe for us to rescue animals, such as from heights or if specialist equipment and expertise are required, so collaborative working is vital in these situations to save animals.

"In these circumstances, we will sometimes request the help of firefighters but it's up to them if they attend, and emergencies involving people will always take priority."