Stanley after his rescue

STANLEY, a four year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, probably didn’t mean to go pot-holing or to clock up a ‘big number’ for the Cave Rescue Organisation, but that’s what he did as he unwittingly became the 400th animal rescued by the Yorkshire Dales based group.

He was walking north from Horton-in-Ribblesdale on the Pennine Way, giving moral support to some of his owner’s friends who were walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats when suddenly Stanley found himself 9 metres (30 feet) down in one of the Sell Gill Holes.

As he howled to be lifted out, his owner, Frank Mitchell, rang for help, not realising that this was to be the Cave Rescue Organisation’s 400th animal rescue. Having been assured that Stanley was ‘soft’ (as well as heavy), Kevin Chadwick, of Clapham, abseiled down to rescue him unharmed.

Although this is CRO’s 400th animal rescue, the team has, over the years, gone to the aid of 412 sheep or lambs, 69 dogs, 24 head of cattle, 9 ducks, a cat and a rabbit and has been awarded two certificates by the RSPCA. Since 1934, CRO members have also gone to the aid of over 3,000 people, above and below ground, in the Yorkshire Dales.

Dave Gallivan, of Horton in Ribblesdale, duty controller for the incident, said “CRO members are always conscious of the fact that the people they turn out to help are on working farmers’ land, so are happy to rescue livestock, too. On this occasion, we recovered a walker’s dog, next week it could be someone’s sheep or lambs.”

For further information on the Cave rescue Organisation visit www.cro.org.uk