A team member demonstrates the doggy handbag, with a rescue dog keeping a watchful eye. Photo: Keswick MRT
A walker and his dog had to be rescued from a Lakeland fell after the animal refused to continue.
Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out on Thursday when the man called for help after struggling to carry the nine-year-old dog.
Both were getting cold after a long, wet day on a section of the Cumbria Way between Keswick and Caldbeck.
The team was alerted at 6.20pm. A Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “They had just gone past Lingy hut towards High Pike in the Caldbeck Fells.
“The man attempted to carry to dog but it was too tiring and they were both getting cold so he returned to Lingy hut after calling 999 and asking for mountain rescue help.
“A small team drove to Mosedale mines from where they quickly climbed up to the hut where they found the man and his dog.
“With visions of great danes and rottweilers and the possibility of having to call more team members to stretcher the dog off, the team were pleased to find a small and easily portable cold, shivering terrier.
The reluctant four-legged walker with a team member. Photo: Keswick MRT
“The pair were escorted down to the track at Mosedale road-end where one of the team members was able to drive the man and his dog to their accommodation in Caldbeck.”
The rescue involved six Keswick MRT volunteers and lasted almost 2¾ hours.
April Fairbairn
13 September 2019Really, this seems to be getting ridiculous, when will people start taking responsibility for themselves and those they are travelling with. Taking enough to eat, drink and stay warm isn't rocket science, we don't even
have wintery conditions yet
alan micheal cupid
13 September 2019I agree with April Fairbairn, people should take more responsibility.
Michael Greenwood
13 September 2019It’s actually quite tiring carrying a dog over rough ground if you just have to hold it on your arms (I carried an injured spaniel 2 miles like that, and could feel it despite being young, fit and healthy). The Caldbeck hills are very damp at times so if you’re moving much slower than expected, things could deteriorate fairly quickly. The man returned to shelter, asked for help, and received it. No rescuers were in any danger, he used an emergency shelter for its intended purpose, and no doubt was friendly and grateful. Good work from the MRT. It’s very easy to criticise from the comfort of an armchair, but not particularly fair.
Beryl Sowden
13 September 2019Well said Michael, I agree with your comments. The hills are unpredictable and you never can tell how things will pan out..
Heather Rose
13 September 2019Agree Michael. If cold and tired he did the right thing. It's hard to carry a dog over rough ground as you say. Better to get off safely. Had the dog been able to continue I'm sure he would have walked down.
Colin
13 September 2019We may not 'have wintery conditions yet' but the days are getting shorter. Looks like the casaulty made the right call given the time of day. But then again, I wasn't there so what do I know about it?!
Billy Harrison
13 September 2019Naa, April and Alan are right here.
If he had a rucksack with say waterproofs in, he could easily have put the waterproofs on or extra clothing he might have had to make room or simply rearranged / expanded the rucksack and put the dog in there. And yes, I mean with the top of the bag strapped back so the dogs head was sticking out and could breath.
I've done this a couple of times when my (small) dogs were getting older in the past so it does work and is so easy to do.
A needless waste of the MRT's time.
Dave Fenwick
13 September 2019Do you same about a Farmer when a sheep get's cragfast.
Wainwrightwalker
14 September 2019Loving the injected advert into this article: Dignity and their pet cremation service...
Paul Telfor
14 September 2019He could have easily made his jacket or shirt or something into a temp doggy handbag and carried if off the fell in the same way the rescue guy has it in the picture. It's not far at all from High Pike to Caldbeck (down hill) so more than likely would have been manageable.
Actually, why should he go to all the trouble of thinking for himself when there are people on the other end of the phone who 'can't say no'.
Paul
14 September 2019It’s nearer 7 mile from lingy hut to Caldbeck , wouldn’t fancy carrying a dywkal that far if I was knackered myself , MRT aren’t just there to rescue people off high crags , their there to help others , that’s why they volunteer ...... coz they want to help . Hats off to them
Paul Telfor
14 September 2019Lingy Hut isn't nearer 7 mile from Caldbeck. It's just over 4.
Follow the Cumbria way to High Pike, almost a straight line down to Nether Row, along the roads to The Street, straight across and follow the lane to Townhead, right, left and into Caldbeck.
Paul
14 September 2019Either way it’s a trek when your knackered and carrying a dog , he made the right call
Margaret
15 September 2019Mountain Rescue is not a 'service' like the RAC - mountaineers and hill walkers are 'privileged' to have many groups of 'volunteers' ready to assist in 'real' emergencies.
One of the many hill skills required, before heading out, is self-reliance.
Perhaps also think about 'risk assessment' before you set off; after all, you wouldn't want your kids go out with an instructor who hadn't done so.
Paul Telfor
15 September 2019He wouldn't have had to carry the dog in his arms if he'd thought about it and used a little bit of gumption.
So no, he didn't make the right call, he made a call based on lack of self responsibility, lack of resourcefulness and lack of common sense.
Paul
15 September 2019Got to think safety first so he did make the right call, used his common sense in my book
Paul Telfor
15 September 2019Now this is really funny,
I wonder what other people think.
Option A) this person did use common sense by calling the MRT
Option B) this person showed a lack of common sense by not coming up with his own solution for carrying the dog off the fell
Neal Andrews
15 September 2019Option A. I'm glad he called for help - irrespective of why he needed it or how far he was from safety.
Alan
15 September 2019Sounds like he could at least have communicated to them what size of dog he had (see sentence about great danes etc).
Margaret
16 September 2019Mountain Rescue is not a 'service', it's not the RAC - mountaineers and hill walkers are 'privileged' to have many groups of 'volunteers' ready to assist in 'real' emergencies.
One of the many hill skills to learn, before heading out, is self-reliance.
Also, it’s valuable to risk-assess your trip before heading out; after all, you wouldn’t let your kids or grand kids go out with an instructor if they hadn’t risk assessed what they were going to do on the hill, who is in the party, how fit they are, weather etc.
Colin
16 September 2019I'm sure the police/MRT would rather deal with a quick recovery in daylight than wait until it becomes a "real" emergency.
From the article, "the man attempted to carry the dog". He tried, couldn't manage, and then called for help from a shelter. Not sure what else he could have done? Stayed at home to practise his 'self-reliance' skill?
Margaret
16 September 2019Colin,
do you see no value in learning basic skills before taking to the hill, or risk assessing your planned journey and the people taking part, including animals?
“It is attention to detail that distinguishes efficiency from ‘bad luck’ on mountains.” W H Murray
I'm sure a MRT (volunteers) would rather people prepared themselves properly before they take to the hills so they don't need to 'deal with a quick recovery'.
Ian512
16 September 2019“A study has revealed many hill goers are clueless about what to do if things went wrong.
"Ordnance Survey said one in eight of people asked would not know how to deal with a mountain emergency if they had no phone signal.
"And three-quarters of recreational walkers don’t plan their route properly or pack the right gear, the survey found.”
Printed in grough 2017
Mike W
17 September 2019He made the right call at that time but should never have go into the situation in first place. Surely not the best use of MRT time.
CarolO
17 September 2019So... what was wrong with having a night in Lingy Hut?!
Colin B
22 September 2019#CarolO
Nothing wrong with that at all, in fact it's a good idea. But if he called the mountain rescue because he couldn't be bothered and (or) was too stupid to think of a way to carry a tired dog off the fell, he'd have only gone and called them to come and deliver him some supper, and again later on to tuck him in.
Am I being harsh? Probably, but then again sometimes the truth is a bit harsh.
Lucie F
22 September 2019Thank goodness we have the MRT who are willing to help people who get into difficulties. Nothing to suggest the walker wasn't prepared. Perhaps the dog was unwell? I'm sure the walker feels bad enough without us criticising him. Well Done MRT!!
Dominique Cucumber
28 September 2019I see Margaret has been eating mushrooms… again!
Margaret
30 September 2019Dominique - please explain, without being offensive.