Video: Ewe better be more careful! RSPCA rope rescue team rescues sheep

The animal welfare charity was contacted after the ewe was stranded after straying down the cliffside close to the Castlemartin Range near St Govans in Pembrokeshire.

The sheep had been stranded for a few weeks but luckily was on a grassy slope area so had access to grazing. There had been another two ewes trapped there but as they had been higher up they had managed to escape the cliff face themselves.

In a video capturing the rescue, an eight-strong RSPCA team are seen which includes officers from Wales, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, West Midlands and Sussex – deputy chief inspector (DCI) Gemma Cooper, deputy chief inspector Suzy Hannaby, inspectors Alan Barnes, Vicki Taylor, Joanna Pearson and animal rescue officers (AROs) Marie Stevens, Simon Kite and Dean Wilkins.

“We assessed the situation and could clearly see that the ewe was not going to get back up the cliff on her own,” said Gemma, who is DCI for the Mid and West Wales RSPCA inspectorate group.

“However, due to the location of the sheep – being on Ministry of Defence land as there is a live firing range nearby – we were only able to access the area on certain days to assess and to plan the rescue.

“We subsequently brought together our specially trained officers that we can draw from across England and Wales to undertake the rescue and carried out the rescue successfully.

“The sheep was unharmed and released at the top of the cliff on hard land. The shepherd was in attendance too.”

It is not known how the ewe ended up on such dangerous terrain, although it is not unusual for sheep to graze on cliff tops. However, the RSPCA say they would like to remind dog owners they need to consider livestock and keep their pets on leads and check for farm animals in fields. Dogs can give chase to livestock and the RSPCA is called out to many rescues in which sheep become trapped in precarious situations as they try to escape.

The RSPCA’ say their rescue teams will be out in all weathers this year conducting rescue operations in situations like this, as well as rescuing animals from abuse, neglect and suffering.

(Lead image: RSPCA)