Firefighters and animal control officers in Virginia Beach, Va., rescued a horse found stranded on its side in a ditch next to a road. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Beach Fire Department/Facebook
April 6 (UPI) -- Firefighters and animal control officers in Virginia came to the rescue of a 30-year-old horse that ended up stranded on its side in a ditch.
The Virginia Beach Fire Department said in a Facebook post that crews responded alongside Virginia Beach Animal Control officers when the horse was found stranded in the ditch next to Holland Road.
Firefighters used shovels to soften the edges of the ditch, and a veterinarian on scene sedated the horse for its own safety.
The rescuers then pulled the equine by its legs to a spot of solid ground.
The fire department said the horse was able to stand on its own power a few minutes later and the veterinarian determined the animal was not seriously injured.