Canadian firefighters cut through brush, befriend a stranded goat, and lower it from a cliff

After an unplanned night on a cliff ledge in Metchosin, British Columbia, firefighters rescued a domestic goat by cutting through dense brush, rappelling to its position, and lowering it safely to the ground.

Here's what to know

Early on Oct. 5, firefighters and rope rescue technicians from the Metchosin Fire Department came to the owner's property after the goat spent the night of Oct. 4 stuck on a ledge beneath a cliff it had slipped over. According to the Cowichan Valley Citizen, responders examined the scene and chose a retrieval method they considered safe.

The department described the situation in a social media post, saying, "The goat had spent the night below the cliff, and the priority was to safely secure and remove her without causing further injury." Rescuers therefore focused on gaining control of the animal before moving it.

After descending the cliff face, crews secured the goat and brought it to the ground, where its owner reunited with it. The department later said, "Great work by our crews, and a happy ending for this little goat."

More background

Watching from nearby, sisters Shannon Burnside and Melony Gilbert said access itself was the first obstacle, because firefighters had to cut through thick growth before reaching the cliff.

"The firefighters did a lot of work to get to the cliff first of all – cutting broom the size of small trees," Burnside remarked.

Burnside said the firefighter who reached the goat worked to calm the animal before putting on the harness. "Once the climber got to the goat, he gave her treats to make friends and was very careful and gentle while harnessing her up," she added.

The most nerve-racking part came during the trip down. "As soon as he started his descent everyone stopped talking and breathing. There was a close call with falling rock also," Burnside emphasized. Applause broke out after the firefighter and goat reached the ground safely.

What's being done?

The rescue also showed how technical rope training applies to day-to-day community calls, even unusual ones involving animals. Rather than immediately attempting a removal, the team inspected the cliff, developed a plan, and sent rescuers over the edge only after choosing the safest option.

"Metchosin Fire members regularly train in technical rescue skills to ensure they are prepared when people — or animals — find themselves in difficult situations," the department said. In steep rural settings, that preparation can matter when standard equipment isn't enough.

Burnside called it "such a heart filling event to witness."

Where can I learn more?

Animal rescues in dangerous terrain aren't all that rare. These articles cover firefighters, climbers, and wildlife responders freeing animals from ice, heights, and confined spaces.

• In Colorado, climbers and officials carried out a dramatic rope-assisted elk rescue in icy terrain.

• In Colorado Springs, firefighters helped a young moose that wandered into a local community park.

• In La Verne, California, firefighters saved an owl suspended 50 feet above the ground.

• In Essex County, Massachusetts, volunteer rescuers freed a woodchuck from a dangerous predicament at the sheriff's department.

• Wildlife SOS workers in India pulled a jackal pup from a 40-foot well against the odds.

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