Although the job titles and equipment used by firefighters make it obvious that they specialize in controlling and eliminating hazardous blazes, it would be misleading to say that this is the extent of their jobs.
Not only are they often among the first on the scene during medical emergencies, but they've also developed a reputation for helping animals when they get themselves into trouble.
And while we often don't have to explain why some of the situations these animals end up in are so perilous, others seem a lot more ridiculous to the average passer-by, but are nonetheless not something you'd want to let them suffer through. And to be fair, it's not like humans can't get into those kind of jams either.
As one story illustrates, however, the care that firefighters show in responding to these unusual scenarios is only matched by how cleverly they have to approach them.