A dog which refused to walk had to be rescued from England’s highest mountain by a team of 13 in an operation which lasted more than four hours.
The “injured and exhausted” pooch, who was reportedly named Rocky and of the Akita breed, remained “cool, calm and positively regal” throughout the rescue by the Keswick Mountain Rescue team.
The rescue team were allocated the job after the dog’s owners initially rang the police, requesting assistance after their pet refused to walk on their return journey from Scafell Pike – England’s highest mountain in the Lake District.
Descending as best as they could towards Grains Gill, a river near the Esk Hause mountain pass, the “cold” owners were met by the rescue team who made the Akita “comfortable in a ‘casualty bag’ on the stretcher” before carrying the animal back to the area of Seathwaite Farm.
A spokesperson for the Keswick Mountain Rescue team said: “Despite being quite a large dog at 33kg it was a joy to carry such a relatively lightweight casualty.”
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The National Trust website warns that the long and rocky terrain of Scafell Pike means it is only suitable for dogs “used to long walks in the fells”.
It recommends introducing your dog to a few easier walks before trying to scale the mountain.