Badger protections delay dog’s rescue for four days

A Lakeland terrier that became trapped in a badger sett has been reunited with its owners after an extensive four-day search. However, the limitations of the rescue highlighted inefficiencies in wildlife management.

Terrier trapped underground at Brampton Ridgeway

The dog, Sherlock, became stuck around 6ft underground after chasing a rabbit at Brampton’s Ridgeway near Carlisle. Owners Mandy and Mike McGrath launched a search operation with the help of drones, firefighters, search dogs, and volunteers.

It wasn’t until 24 hours after Sherlock went missing that a vet could confirm the badger sett was inactive—a legal requirement before firefighters could intervene. A search with thermal-imaging cameras proved unsuccessful.

Traditional terrier skills save the day

On the third day, Gordon Bottomley, a volunteer with the Fell and Moorland Terrier Club, located and safely extricated Sherlock with help from his own terrier, Shrek.

Working dog expert and Shooting Times contributor John Glover said, “common sense had prevailed” during the rescue. He added, “Using traditional tried-and-tested methods of the working terrier man successfully saved the dog, proving these skills should never be lost despite modern pressures on legitimate terrier work.”

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