CONCERNED Ambulance staff tracked down an emergency dog-sitter when a woman collapsed and injured her knee while out shopping with her three dogs.

Great Western Ambulance Service received a 999 call on Wednesday from Brunel Plaza staff at 2.20pm reporting that the woman had collapsed as she pushed her wheelchair accompanied by the three dogs – including two hearing dogs, as she is deaf.

An ambulance crew and a rapid-response vehicle went to the scene to assess the patient and took the clinical decision that she needed to go to hospital for further treatment to her injured knee.

While the ambulance clinicians prepared the patient to be taken to hospital, GWAS staff back at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), in Devizes, contacted local pet car service Animals at Home to arrange for the dogs to be looked after temporarily.

Paramedic Andy Kingsman said: “Clearly the patient was very close to her dogs, so it was important to be able to reassure her that they would be cared for while she was at the hospital. It appears she simply slipped on the shopping centre floor as she walked, pushing her wheelchair – she insisted the fall was not due to the dogs.”

Dave Wilmot, Wiltshire EOC manager, said: “Our commitment to our patients’ welfare goes beyond just hands-on clinical care. This patient was naturally concerned that her dogs would be cared for while she is in hospital, so we are grateful to Animals at Home for responding so quickly.

“Every 999 call we respond to, we have to be ready to deal with whatever the situation – but this was something out of the ordinary.”

The dogs, two Staffordshire bull terriers that are hearing dogs plus a terrier cross that is a pet, are now being looked after at a local vet.