Mesen – Firefighters in Westhoek rescued a cow in Mesen on Saturday, August 16, 2025, marking the fourth cow rescue in a week. The animal was secured with ropes and lifting straps before being safely returned to its farmer, reports 24brussels.
According to GVA News, firefighters responded to a call early Saturday morning when a farmer in Nieuw-Zealanderstraat, located on the Walloon border in West Flanders province, discovered that one of his cows had fallen into a pond after escaping through a fence. The cow was trapped but managed to remain standing at the edge of the bank. Promptly, the farmer contacted emergency services, leading to a response from the Mesen firehouse.
What led firefighters in Westhoek to rescue 4 cows in a week?
Firefighters employed ropes to catch and secure the cow, preventing any chance of injury or escape. Through coordinated efforts, they successfully pulled the animal back onto solid ground and returned it unharmed to the grateful farmer. This incident marked the fourth cow rescue in the region within a single week.
A specialized animal rescue team from the Westhoek Fire Department arrived at the scene after the initial crew had secured the cow. Firefighters from various stations participated in the operation, notably including a hooklift truck from the Verne station.
Divers and additional personnel were on hand to assist with the rescue. They fitted lifting straps around the cow and hoisted it out of the water. The farmer confirmed that the cow was in good health after the ordeal.
On Thursday, August 7, 2025, firefighters in Diksmuide were dispatched when a cow was reported swimming in the Handzamevaart canal. The animal drifted nearly two kilometers, accompanied by a kayaker, before rescuers moored it and pulled it ashore with a telehandler.
Earlier in the week, on Monday, August 11, the fire department alongside the DRT team had to assist a cow weighing approximately 800 kilograms that had become stuck in the mud of a pond in Pollinkhove.
That rescue called for heavy equipment and additional manpower, while another cow was found in the mud at a pond in Lo-Reninge on Wednesday, August 13, and was freed more quickly.
In 2023, firefighters in Diksmuide successfully rescued a cow that had wandered into the Handzamevaart canal, and several animals have previously been saved from muddy ponds in Lo-Reninge.