A husky called Prince had to be carried to safety by mountain rescue volunteers after hurting his paws during a walk on Scafell in the Lake District.
Prince, who weighs around 35kg, had been out hiking with his owner when he cut his paws and could no longer walk properly. His owner tried to carry him down the mountain himself, but after becoming exhausted and starting to stumble, he realised it was no longer safe to keep going without help.
The pair were about halfway down Scafell when the owner contacted Cumbria Police. The call was then passed to Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, who were called out at around 9pm on a Saturday evening.
Rescuers made their way towards Burnmoor Tarn with a stretcher while Prince and his owner continued slowly down the route. Once the team reached them, Prince was secured onto the stretcher and carried back towards Brackenclose.
The rescue was not a quick job. The team did not get everyone safely down until around 3.30am the following morning, turning what had started as a normal mountain walk into a long overnight rescue.
Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team said Prince behaved brilliantly during the operation and accepted being carried down without any fuss. They also said he received plenty of attention from everyone involved, which sounds about right for a husky who suddenly found himself the centre of a full rescue mission.
The team praised the owner for calling for help once he realised trying to carry Prince down alone could have injured them both. In that sort of terrain, especially late in the evening, exhaustion and poor footing can quickly turn one problem into two.
The incident is a good reminder for anyone taking dogs into the fells. Even strong, active breeds like huskies can get into difficulty if they injure their paws on rough ground. Carrying water, checking paws during the walk, and having a plan for what to do if a dog cannot continue can make a big difference.
Thankfully, Prince was brought down safely, and the rescue team said they hoped his paws healed quickly and that his owner was none the worse after trying so hard to get him down himself.
