Large animal training for firefighters
Image: Harper Adams University
Shropshire course helps fire service gain experience A brand new two-day course in animal handling for firefighters has taken place at Harper Adams University, near Newport in Shropshire.
The course has been designed to help develop skills for handling large animals in emergency situations and is being run by Alan Stewart, a senior lecturer in animal production, welfare and veterinary sciences.
About 40 personnel from Wellington Fire Station, where a rescue tender fitted with specialist equipment for animal rescues is based, were in attendance.
Crews were able to gain experience with a range of large animals, including horses, bulls, cows, sheep and pigs.
Shropshire's Fire and Rescue Service is often called in to deal with situations involving animals. Large animals in particular are difficult to handle in emergency situations and pose a safety risk when they become scared.
"In the last six months we have attended 11 large animal rescues," said Rob Sheppard, animal rescue specialist at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
"We believe that having awareness of both animal and human behaviour, supported by suitable animal rescue equipment and training, will play an important part at the scene of an incident."
The firefighters will now complete a further two days of training to utilise new equipment, including a horse mannequin, to practise rescues in a variety of scenarios.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
