Big sick dog stretchered from burning veterinary clinic

A veterinarian in Brisbane, Australia, says he was overcome with relief when he learned firefighters had rescued three sick dogs from his clinic as it burst into flames. One of the dogs, a 40kg Rottweiler, was carried on a stretcher from the burning building in Sunnybank, in Brisbane's southwest, at about 3.40am on Saturday.

"Once I got there and found out the animals were okay there was a feeling of relief,'' Sunnybank Veterinary clinic owner Terry Martin said. "When I was driving in and saw the fire I thought they wouldn't have survived. The firefighters did a fantastic job. I'm very, very pleased they got the animals out safe and well.''

The three sick dogs were the only animals in the building at the time of the blaze, Dr Martin said. The fire which started in a news agency at a small complex of shops soon spread to a nearby hairdressing salon and vet clinic where three dogs were trapped. The news agency was ablaze when firefighters arrived and it was an hour before they brought the fierce fire under control.

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Queensland Fire and Rescue Service duty manager Brett Finnis praised the six crews who attended the blaze. "When they arrived, the news agency was well alight and in that sort of shop our crews are going to be busy," he said. "But to be able to manage the fire and save the animals as well is a really good effort on the firefighters' part."