Dog rescued after damaging paws during Lake District walk

A dog had to be rescued after it could not walk any further while out in the Lake District.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called out after it was reported that the four-year-old German Shepherd could not walk as its hindquarters were weak and it had sore paws.

The party were descending into Gillercomb when the dog refused to go any further.

The mountain rescue team discovered all four of the dogs paw pads to be damaged, after the animal walked over rocky ground.

The rescue took eight team members almost five hours.

A spokesperson for Keswick Mountain Rescue said: ‘’It is to raise an important point that may be obvious to some but judging by how many of these incidents we get, not to the many who take their unconditioned dogs into the hills. In this case all four paws had damaged pads.

‘’This dog gets regular exercise but walking on grassy fields is no preparation for rough and rocky fells. A difficult descent down Gillercomb and Sour Milk Gill was made with the dog on a stretcher back to Seathwaite.

‘’The dog’s owners were extremely upset and concerned about their beloved dog, they have learned a valuable lesson and were happy for us to educate anyone considering taking their dogs into the fells.

‘’Dogs don’t have fancy walking boots, how far could you walk barefoot in the mountains?

‘’Whilst this rescue was ongoing the team received another callout to an incident on Eagle Crag, and fortunately for us it turned out to be Patterdale team’s job. With team numbers short on this day, it could have seriously compromised a second rescue. ‘’Whilst the team does go out to rescue animals the priority will always be to human casualties.’’