SPECIALIST dog training is being given to firefighters across the county to help them deal with canines at the scene of incidents.
Insp Mark Wainright, from the RSPCA, has already trained five people from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s animal rescue training team.
Those officers will pass their knowledge onto other firefighters trained in animal rescue, during a series of training sessions throughout next year.
Russell Metcalfe, animal rescue specialist for the fire service, said: “This training has been carried out to assist firefighters in removing dogs quickly and safely from an incident ground, so they are able to concentrate on resolving the incident at hand.
“We also have purchased six dog graspers, for firefighters to use at incidents. These will be positioned with the animal rescue teams at Dogsthorpe, Cambridge and Huntingdon, but will also be made available to firefighters in other areas on request.”
• Pictured at the training session, from left: RSPCA Inspector Mark Wainright, animal rescue specialists Russell Metcalfe, Scott Feveyear and Neil Hoskin from the fire service, RSPCA Inspector Justin Stubbs and RSPCA Trainee Inspector Nicola O’Brien.
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