By Olivia Drake, HVFC Information Officer.
(November 5, 2023)—Members of Haddam Volunteer Fire Company joined several local agencies and organizations to rescue a 5-year-old cow who was trapped in a culvert under Route 9 near the Middletown/Higganum town line.
Chelsea Brookes, a Middletown resident, and daughter of HVFC Life Member Scott Brookes, spotted the cow on Oct. 28 and notified the City of Middletown Police Department.
The bovine turned out to be Blossom, who escaped her pasture two months ago from a farm on Bartholomew Road in Middletown.
It’s unclear how long Blossom was trapped in the concrete box culvert, that spans approximately 100 feet under both lanes of Route 9. The Bible Rock Brook flows through the culvert, which is located at the bottom of a steep ravine. At the time of her rescue, the water was about 8 inches deep inside the culvert and flowing rapidly.
The Durham Animal Response Team (DART) made an initial attempt to rescue to cow on Oct. 29, but the cold water and steep terrain made accessing the bovine difficult. On Oct. 30, crews from Haddam Fire, Middletown South Fire District, and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Animal Control Unit assisted DART in the effort. While teams were able to access the culvert, the uncooperative cow was inaccessible.
On Oct. 31, a team from Tufts Veterinary Field Service joined rescue efforts and sedated the cow with a tranquilizing dart. Once Blossom was sedated, a team worked in the brook to strap and secure her to a flexible sled. On land, firefighters used a 5:1 hauling system with a belay to slowly lift the bovine up the ravine.
Veterinarians evaluated Blossom and noted she only had a few scrapes on her legs. Blossom was taken by DART to a state-owned barn in Niantic, Conn. to quarantine. The Department of Agriculture is working with a farm in Killingworth for permanent placement.
“This was an exceptional example of how multiple agencies can work together, bring our various expertise to the table, and save a life,” said Middletown South Fire District Captain of Training and Safety AB Turenne.
