In a dramatic operation that unfolded near Barnsley, a one-year-old pointer-labrador cross named Lucky was saved from the brink of disaster on the treacherous banks of the River Dearne.
A Perilous Situation on a Steep Bank
The emergency began on December 3 when a distressed member of the public reported hearing a dog barking and howling near the River Dearne, close to the Old Moor Tavern at Broomhill. This area is a well-known spot for dog walkers, but on this day, it became the scene of a tense rescue.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Danielle Drury responded to the call and found the liver and white dog, later named Lucky, in a precarious position. "It's a really steep drop where he was and when I got there he was just curled up on some reeds at the bottom," she recounted. "He must have exhausted himself with all the barking."
The Challenging Water Rescue
With the dog mere inches from the icy, fast-flowing water, the steep and muddy riverbank made a direct approach too dangerous for residents and RSPCA officers. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue was alerted and took charge of the operation.
Firefighters navigated an inflatable boat upstream against a powerful current to reach the stranded animal. "You could tell how powerful the current was because they struggled to paddle upstream," noted Danielle, who captured the rescue on her mobile phone.
After a careful approach, the crew successfully secured Lucky, brought him back to the bank, and handed him over to the RSPCA. The well-behaved dog was immediately offered comfort and food by a kind bystander. "He wasn't cold or wet and a member of the public fed him some sausages - a lady had a jar of hot dogs that she fed him," Danielle said.
Community Effort and Uncertain Origins
The rescue was a collaborative effort. Alongside the fire service and RSPCA, two local animal rescue organisations, HARTSAR and K9RSQ, were also on scene to assist.
Despite being microchipped, Lucky's journey to the riverbank remains a mystery. The registered owner stated they had informally rehomed him several weeks earlier. It is believed he may have either been abandoned at the location or bolted from his new owner.
Following his ordeal, the spirited dog received a full veterinary check and was found to be in fine health, seemingly unaffected by his brush with danger. He was initially housed in private boarding kennels before being transferred to the RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre for care while investigations continue.
"He's a really, really lovely dog," Danielle Drury affirmed, "he was happily walking along with the fire brigade, he was good with everybody at the vets."
