HomeMy WebLinkAbout208.003 - Entrapped Animals
Fresno City Fire Department
200 Standard Operating Procedures Manual
SECTION 208.003 ENTRAPPED ANIMALS
PURPOSE
As a public service, the Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department) will respond
when requested and provide aid for entrapped animals.
APPLICATION
This policy applies to all members responding to entrapped animal incidents.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
Responses to such requests will be non-emergency in-service details, and only when
available resources allow for such activity.
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
The responsibility for providing an appropriate course of action rests with the company
officer, keeping crew safety foremost in their mind. Retrieval methods that would
increase the risk of personal injury to Department members (i.e., power poles, live
electrical, etc.) are not recommended. Accordingly, any activity that would render a
company out-of-service for more than a brief period is discouraged.
Responses to incidents involving entrapped animals are to be conducted in a
professional manner and brought to an acceptable conclusion.
An incident number is assigned for such responses and require the completion of
necessary incident reports.
Effective Date: October 2007 Timothy J. Fulmer, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 03/23/2023 Section 208.003
Next Revision (1) Date: 03/23/2026 Page 1 of 3
PROCESS
1. Upon receipt of an entrapped animal call, the Communications
Center will dispatch the closest engine or truck company as an in-
service detail. A company assigned to an in-service detail may be
re-assigned to a higher priority call by Communications. If this
occurs, the company officer should advise Communications to
assign another company to the in-service detail or to hold the detail
to be completed at a later time.
2. The company officer should make contact with the reporting party to
determine the location of the entrapped animal.
3. Recommended course of action:
a. Show concern for the citizen and the animal’s welfare.
b. Make a reasonable attempt to retrieve or otherwise safeguard the
animal without needless risk to the crew or equipment and without
being out-of-service.
4. If retrieval is unsuccessful, provide the citizen with the following
suggestions and information:
a. Remove any threatening animals from the area.
b. Place food nearby.
c. Contact the following resources for assistance:
Within the City of Fresno:
Central California SPCA (CCSPCA) Hotline at 559-233-7722.
Within the County of Fresno:
Fresno Humane Animal Services at 559-600-7387.
d. Inform the citizen that the CCSPCA responds after all other efforts
have been exhausted and three (3) to four (4) days have elapsed.
Effective Date: October 2007 Timothy J. Fulmer, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 03/23/2023 Section 208.003
Next Revision (1) Date: 03/23/2026 Page 2 of 3
e. Obtain the owner’s telephone number and make a follow-up call
to them to determine the final outcome. Allow for enough time for
CCSPCA intervention (i.e., five (5) to seven (7) days after the
incident).
INFORMATION
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DEFINITIONS
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CROSS-REFERENCES
No cross-references recognized.
Effective Date: October 2007 Timothy J. Fulmer, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 03/23/2023 Section 208.003
Next Revision (1) Date: 03/23/2026 Page 3 of 3