Warning to pet owners as dog is swept away in Silsden Beck (From Craven Herald)

Warning to pet owners as dog is swept away in Silsden Beck

9:00am Friday 1st February 2013 in News

People are being warned to keep dogs on leads when venturing near swollen rivers, after a pet got swept away.

The warning comes after firefighters had to wade through raging waters in Silsden Beck at the weekend to retrieve Oliver, a golden retriever, who had got washed away.

The alarm was raised just after 8am on Sunday when Oliver’s owner called the fire service to say his dog had been carried away downstream and over a weir.

Watch Commander Alan Wood said: “Usually the beck is just a babbling trickle, but because of all the melting snow it was a raging torrent.

“Oliver had gone in like he usually does, but lost his footing and was carried away, over a weir about 100 yards downstream. Luckily he was swept towards the only calm spot there was, where he managed to stand up and wait for help.

“Because he could see his owner he stayed where he was until help came. The owner did the right thing by calling us and not trying to carry out the rescue himself.”

Firefighters lowered a ladder down an eight-feet garden wall into the beck to reach Oliver, who made it safely back to dry land with just a few bumps and grazes.

“He was definitely pleased to see us and came happily with us. There’s a lesson here to dog owners that if you go walking near swollen rivers, always kept your pets on leads and out of the water,” said Mr Woods.