kentpuppyKent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is hailing an early success of its new Cat ATV after it was crucial in the rescue of a puppy from a 30-foot hole near Chartham.

The vehicle was called into use for the first time last week [16 May] to get firefighters and equipment to a ploughed field on the edge of a wooded copse where Brody, a 15-month-old puppy red setter retriever cross-breed was trapped.
Line rescue team
Firefighters were called by the RSPCA after the owners’ other dog Brookie discovered Brody in a deep hole in Mystole, near Chartham having been missing for four days.

KFRS’s line rescue team was sent to the scene and were transported to the site on the ATV, where they set up a pulley system to retrieve Brody and used their specialist equipment to go into the hole, putting Brody into a harness and to bring him to the surface.

Cat came into its own
Station Manager, Russ Jones, who was in charge of the incident said: “This was a successful rescue and it was smiles all round when Brody was brought up to safe ground. The Cat ATV came into its own and was superb, making the rescue much swifter. It would have been extremely difficult to get our crews and the equipment across the ploughed field.”
RSPCA Animal Collection Officer, Roy Jezard, praised the team for their "excellent rescue job" while Brody's owner Charles Willson said his family couldn't thank KFRS enough for their efforts.

"He was a rescue dog and we’ve only had him for a short while, so we were devastated when he went missing. We are thrilled and incredibly grateful to Kent Fire and Rescue Service for helping us get him back "We've taken him to the vets this morning, who have said he’s fine and just needs a good meal or two and a rest but he’s very happy to be home."