Mold firefighters free terrier trapped in recliner
Fire crew in Mold rescued a border terrier stuck in a recliner, re‑assembling the chair and offering safety advice to the grateful owners.
Mold firefighters rescued a 21‑month‑old border terrier trapped in a recliner chair on Thursday night, averting a potentially tragic outcome for the beloved pet.
Anne and John Nicholas, both in their seventies, live in Gwernymynydd just outside Mold and called 999 at about 10.45pm after their dog Ianto became wedged in the chair’s mechanism.
The incident began when Ianto chased a ball that rolled beneath the recliner, prompting John to raise the footrest in an attempt to retrieve it.
Anne explained that the movement caused part of the metal framework to close tighter around the dog’s neck, leaving him “completely stuck with his neck wedged between two bars”.
She remained on the floor, supporting Ianto and trying to keep his neck straight while the emergency call was placed.
“It was like his head was stuck in a vice really,” she said, describing the distress she felt as the terrier struggled to breathe.
Four fire crew members arrived at the Nicholas home within roughly ten minutes and began a careful assessment of the recliner rather than resorting immediately to cutting the metal.
One female fire officer asked, “How long have you been down there holding him?” and, after Anne replied “It’s a good half hour now”, offered to take over, a gesture the couple described as “very kind”.
The team identified an alternative section of the mechanism that could be disconnected, creating enough space to free Ianto without destroying the chair.
Within fifteen to twenty minutes of their arrival, the terrier was released and immediately began darting around the room, greeting the firefighters affectionately.
Anne said the dog appeared “none the worse for wear” and praised the crew for their swift, skilful handling of the situation.
After the rescue, the firefighters re‑connected the recliner’s mechanism and advised the Nicholas family to have it inspected by the manufacturer.
They also inspected the bungalow’s smoke alarm, discussed evacuation routes and offered general home fire‑safety advice before departing.
“We were just so relieved to see them because we couldn’t handle that situation at all,” Anne said, adding that the rapid response and compassionate approach had left the couple “extremely grateful”.