Two beef cows, one with a calf at heel, made international headlines and lit up social media after footage of their predicament was filmed from a passing media helicopter. The quake had left them stranded on a small island of grass about 5 or 6 metres above a surrounding sea of broken earth, on a farm in the Kaikoura area.
Wellington SPCA chief executive Steve Glassey had offered its specialist National Rescue Unit to help but Newshub (TV3), whose helicopter-borne crew had caught the animal’s original plight, is now reporting their safe rescue.
The farmer has told Newshub that he, with help from others, dug a track with picks and shovels to get the cattle safely down. He had had to rescue 14 animals from that part of his farm, where a bluff had collapsed into a gully.
The farmer, whose identity Newshub is not revealing, said he had lost an unknown number of cattle and some survivors were distressed but he delayed the rescue for safety reasons.
“The problem was we weren't sure if there was going to be another earthquake, and we weren't sure if it was going to continue to slide. That's why we delayed going in. It wasn't because we didn't want to."
"We dug a track with a number of people - the soil was quite soft because it had all been tipped over and bumbled around, we managed to get a track in and bring them out," the farmer told Newshub.
"They desperately needed water. Cows don't like living without water so that was the first requirement, and I think one or two had lost calves in the earthquake so they were a bit distressed."
SPCA New Zealand acting chief executive Andrea Midgen said the SPCA was thankful for the successful rescue and was ready to help with any animal welfare issues arising from the quake.
She said the specialist National Rescue Unit remained on standby.
“We are willing to send members as and when needed, and to give advice to animal owners in the region.”
“We have also offered the assistance of our SPCA National Rescue Unit members, who can join the efforts of the Urban Search and Rescue team.”
Midgen said the SPCA was working with MPI and the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management to ensure that the animals of Kaikoura would be cared for.
SPCA Canterbury had also offered assistance with the relocation of animals, and to find accommodation for animals and their owners if required.
