Police rescue beaver from Calgary storm drain

Calgary police responded to an unusual rescue call this Thanksgiving weekend.

Const. Chris Martin said he and his partner received a call around 11 a.m. Sunday that a beaver was stuck inside a storm drain near HarviePassage.

The beaver was behind a heavy gate that was secured with large bolts.

"We ended up calling City of Calgary waterworks and hadthem bring out some wrenches," said Martin.

"And then as luck would have it, there were some surfers and kayakers in the area who were wearing wetsuits and they were able to come help us get the lower parts that were pretty deep in the water and then to help us get the grateoff safely."

Martin said the grate came off just before backup arrived his wife, who works in construction.

"She loaded up the kids and some wrenches and was heading down just in case the city guys couldn't find a wrench. So she got here basically just as we rescued the beaver, so she hadthe right tools, but was about two minutes too late," he said.

Martin said he's rescued plenty of cats and dogs, and even a turkey and a moose in the line of duty, but this was the first beaver he's had to save.

He said the beaver swam away in the direction of a dam just north of the storm drain.

"He got out and disappeared happily into the river."