The London Fire Brigade Spent $263,000 Rescuing Animals Last Year

From GPS tracking a tortoise stuck in a bin lorry, to a bright blue corn snake feeling the heat while trapped in a radiator, the London Fire Brigade are being called out for some very unusual pet interventions, at a huge cost to the taxpayer.

Fire crews are currently called out to rescue an animal every 16 hours, at an estimated cost of around $21,498 a month.

Fire chief's say that figure is far too high.

Fantastic Mr Fox freed from #EastSheen can but reminder to call RSPCA first for animal jams https://t.co/7mV2L8akmm pic.twitter.com/zjw0Y6sTrF

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) July 2, 2016

"What's worrying is that when firefighters are out rescuing animals, they're not available to attend real emergencies," ​London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, told Sputnik.

Cats are the worst trouble makers, with half of the 526 animals rescued last year being curious felines who've got themselves into difficulties.

London Fire Brigade + cat, 1940 pic.twitter.com/lqw4g0Se9d

— always year of cat공주 (@badfeelcat) May 22, 2015

​One such mischievous moggy was a heavily pregnant Binky, who became stuck on a roof in Tottenham in north London earlier this month. Getting distressed, she fell down a chimney and gave birth to her kittens while still hiding inside.

Firefighters had to remove the whole fireplace to extricate a miraculously unharmed, if a little sooty, Binky and her four new kittens, named Ron, Chris, Pete and Jim: after their firefighter saviours. 

Four kittens to be named after #Tottenham firefighters who rescued them & their mother Binky https://t.co/k4u4CFZ34E pic.twitter.com/9DQEj8WKoO

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 4, 2016

And in April, a fool-hardy kitten jumped straight into the engine of a British Gas van, resulting in the closure of a busy west London road, as fire crews spent three hours trying to extricate him.

Tiny kitten named Wolfie after firefighter who saved him from van engine w/ @RSPCA_official https://t.co/gZ3wC5z9XC pic.twitter.com/2wBHm2Z0wA

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 5, 2016

​In all, 277 cats cost US$133,356 to save.

Does anyone know if the london fire brigade charge to get a cat out of a tree?

— Frosty_Cockapoo (@frosty_poo) September 17, 2015

​Pet owners aren't charged for animal rescues by the fire crews.

London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, is calling on the public to not immediately assume firefighters are needed for every animal mishap.

"If there is a cat up a tree, or an animal stuck anywhere, the first port of call should always be the RSPCA, not the emergency services."

See a #cat stuck up a tree? Call the @RSPCA_official, not us! #InternationalCatDay https://t.co/iGCsgqTWr2 pic.twitter.com/v2HSdkbVBT

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 8, 2016

​"Pet owners need to keep a close eye on their animals in a bid to avoid some of these situations happening."

However, even with the best intentions of the public, it seems some animals will always be beyond our control.

Other unusual rescues over the last year include: a chicken stuck up a tree; a squirrel trapped in a satellite dish; and a ferret confined in a lift shaft.

With rescuing these critters taking time away from saving human members of the public, it's no wonder the London Fire Brigade are getting exasperated.

Fortunately for them, animal rescues have decreased by 20% in the past five years, from 650 in 2011/12, to 526 last year, since a campaign I'm An Animal, Get Me Out of Here was launched asking Londoners not to call for unnecessary animal rescues.

​London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: "I'm pleased that our campaign has led to a reduction in animal call outs but there is still a lot to do to dispel the old stereotype about firefighters rescuing cats from trees."