Rupert the horse fell into a ditch in Henfield and had to be rescued by firefighters from Faversham in Kent after a specialist animal rescue unit was apparently not available. The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is considering scrapping its Technical Rescue Unit, which has raised concerns about the ability to rescue animals in similar situations in the future.
Darren Woods, who looks after Rupert, expressed gratitude for the rescue but noted that if conditions had been worse, Rupert would have struggled. Passers-by criticized the delay in the rescue and expressed concerns about the potential consequences of not having a dedicated animal rescue unit available in West Sussex.
The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service stated that they are reviewing their Technical Rescue Unit as part of a specialist capability review, with decisions being made based on data and risks within the county. While animal rescues are not a statutory duty for fire and rescue services, they aim to facilitate them when possible through borderless mobilizing to ensure the quickest response to incidents.
