Pet owners warned after Silsden river rescue (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Pet owners warned after Silsden river rescue

2:47pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News

Dog owners are being warned to keep their pets on leads when venturing near swollen rivers – after one man’s pet got swept away.

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

Firefighters at Bingley got a call last Sunday to say the dog had been carried away down stream and over a weir.

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

“Oliver had gone in 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.”