There can be few moments of relief greater than the recovery of a much-loved missing pet as the well-publicised rescue of labrador Ted from a Trentham mineshaft in recent days illustrates.

A big team effort on Monday June 2 saw local CFA crews and Bendigo’s Oscar 1 rescue team safely rescue labrador Ted from where he was trapped down an eight-metre deep mineshaft in Trentham bushland.

Ted and his Labradoodle buddy Penny had gone missing four days earlier on Thursday (May 29) sparking a huge community search and online campaign after the dogs’ owners, Chantal Henderson and family, discovered them missing.

Luckily, a neighbour had heard Penny’s frantic barking and was then able to locate Penny guarding the top of the shaft with poor Ted stuck inside.

On Monday June 2, faithful Penny and her stuck buddy Ted were found on Pronk Track in Trentham at around 11.43am that morning.

A quick call was made to Triple Zero and the Trentham Fire Brigade and Oscar 1 swung into action, with assistance also from Hepburn Shire Council staff and Forest Fire Management Victoria.

Ted was kept calm with food and water until rescuers could safely bring him back up at 2:53 pm, happy and straight into owner Chantal Henderson’s waiting arms. 

A very relieved Chantal had plenty of praise for all concerned with the rescue, posting on social media:

“Our family is ever so grateful for all the support and well wishes we have received these past five days.

“Thank you to Ruth and her daughter for their perseverance searching the bush after hearing their barking. Without you they would never have been found.

“Penny was found guarding Ted who had fallen down a straight 8 meter mine shaft some time before or around Friday lunch time. Both dogs are in unbelievable condition, a little lighter than usual, but otherwise excellent.

“Thank you to our rescuers, Trentham CFA, Hepburn and Moorabool shire rangers/officers, Forest Management and CFA Oscar 1 Mine Rescue.”

 Trentham Fire Brigade Captain David Wheeldon said: “when we arrived, as you would expect, Penny was quite agitated, but luckily one of our firefighters knew the owners because they lived next door to them.

“We were able to get a hold of them to come down before Bendigo’s Oscar 1 crew started the rescue process.

“Throughout the morning, we were providing Ted with plenty of food and water.

“The members of Oscar 1 descended down the 8m shaft to safely extricate Ted and hand him back into the arms of his owners at around 2.53pm, happy, healthy and well.”

The “ruff” yet ultimately relieving incident serves to highlight the ongoing dangers posed by old mine-shafts in the area.

While on scene Trentham Fire Brigade members had worked with Forest Fire Management Victoria to locate and red-tape a number of open mine shafts in the area in an effort to help prevent future incidents.

Images: Supplied

As the sun was setting over Safety Beach on the Mornington Peninsula last Tuesday night (March 25) crews from SES, CFA, Victoria Police, Fire Rescue Victoria, and members of the community worked together to free a dog that was stuck in the rocks.

Crews responded just before 7pm and after a long and careful operation to remove Roxy from the rocks that create the breakwater for the entrance to Martha’s Cove, the crews were then faced with the challenge of getting the injured dog off the rocks. 

Roxy was unable to walk after her ordeal, so the crews had the options of carrying Roxy over the rough terrain or waiting for a boat to arrive from Marine Rescue or Coast Guard to take her by sea. 

Light was fading quickly as a personal watercraft operator passed by slowly, allowing firefighters to ask his assistance.

He was happy to help, though the sore Roxy didn’t much like the idea of getting on board. 

Eventually a boat returning to the dock came along, hoping to be in by dark they were swept willingly into the rescue operation. 

With surgeon-like precision, the boat’s captain manoeuvred his craft close to the rocks near the rescuers.

Roxy (safely in a stretcher) and her owner were then able to board the vessel and return safety to dock. 

“This is a great example of the community coming together to assist strangers, without question or hesitation,” Commander Tony Ford said. 

“We really would like to thank the boat and Jet Ski operators for coming to the assistance of the rescue operation,” he said. 

“The good news is that Roxy was able to walk off the boat and jump in the family wagon waiting at the end of the pier.” 

Story based on a CFA report. Images: CFA

When the Erica & District Fire Brigade’s pager buzzed on a Wednesday night earlier this month, they had no idea they were about to embark on a paws-itively unexpected rescue.

Just before 6pm on 7 August, crews were alerted to a dog stuck under a cottage in Erica. When they arrived at the scene they found Molly, a 13-year-old King Charles Spaniel, in a tight spot. 

Molly had crawled under the floorboards and couldn’t quite figure her way back out. Crews quickly discovered access to the trapped pooch would be challenging because the house was an old miner’s cottage.  

First Lieutenant of Erica and District brigade Bryce Eishold said the situation required creative thinking.

“In CFA, we look outside the box to find answers to unusual jobs that arise; we summarised the situation and decided it was best to call in a local builder with tools,” Bryce said. 

That builder was Russ Dunn, who quickly got to work carving out Molly’s escape route.  

“Russ is a great supporter of the brigade and we knew he’d be able to bring his circular saw. 

 “We knew roughly where the dog was, and when he got there, we ripped up the carpet and carefully cut a hole in the floorboards,” Bryce said.

From the time of the call to CFA, Molly was freed into the arms of her very relieved owner, Sandra, in less than an hour.  

“CFA was brilliant, they responded so fast and put a plan together. They were so caring and I cannot praise them enough,” Sandra said.  

By all reports, Molly is recovering well after her floorboard fright.

Words & Images: Supplied, CFA

Nella is one very lucky rolden retriever after being retrieved herself, from a very hairy predicament earlier this month.

Torquay and Bellbrae CFA units joined forces with their counterparts on Tuesday April 2 in a multi-agency high angle excercise to rescue the dog from atop a cliff face at Bells Beach.

At around 12.27pm that day CFA units alongside SES and Fire Rescue Victoria had responded to reports of a dog stuck on the edge of a cliff on Bells Beach Road in Bells Beach.

Two-year-old golden retriever and beach enthusiast Nella had wandered from her owner, Taryn, in a Bells Beach carpark that adjoined a walking track, before finding herself stranded on a ledge, 10 metres down a cliff just above the water.  

CFA District 7 Commander Nick Callan said an anchor point was set up for the high angle rescue team to retrieve Nella, with two firefighters required for the daring rescue.

Nella safely ascended to the top of the cliff at around 3.28pm in a gear clothing bag with the crew members, before being reunited with a much-relieved Taryn and her husband Matt who had been at the bottom of the cliff on the beach keeping Nella calm.

Torquay Fire Brigade 2nd Lieutenant David Muir said it was a good ending, with everyone safe and secure, and that the family was very grateful for the work of the agencies after an emotional few hours.

Words & Images: CFA