RSPCA rescue stranded sheep near Kingsbridge
Date of alert:
Monday, 23 May 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Devon & Cornwall Police
A "hopelessly stranded" sheep was rescued from a sea cliff in Devon by a specialist RSPCA rope team.
The animal welfare charity was contacted by a farmer after the sheep was spotted stuck halfway down the cliffside, running alongside a coastal path near Kingsbridge.
The ewe was thought to have become stranded on the cliff after either being chased by a dog or following her lamb over the edge.
While there was no lamb found nearby, sheep can commonly become stranded after being spooked or chased by dogs.
The rescue has prompted the RSPCA to renew their calls for dog walkers to keep their pets on leads near livestock.
An eight-strong RSPCA rope rescue team was deployed to save the sheep - with the ewe facing the "harrowing prospect" of falling 50-metres (164ft) to the beach below without the charity's intervention.
