Cow rescued from McMinnville swimming pool

It probably was one of the more unusual rescue calls of late for McMinnville firefighters — a cow that had fallen into a swimming pool full of water — but fortunately, it all ended well, officials said.

The fire department received the call around 9:15 a.m. Friday, asking for help in getting a cow out of an above-ground pool.

As first reported in the McMinnville News-Register, the cow apparently got loose, walked through a gate and fell into the pool at 13104 NW Willis Road.

The department responded to the scene to assist the homeowner with removing the cow from the pool.

They arrived to learn the owner had corralled the cow into the shallow side of the pool to keep it from drowning. He had also built a makeshift ramp from wood to try and get the cow out of the pool.

Firefighters connected straps around the cow’s neck and looped ropes behind the cow while the owners coaxed the cow with food up the ramp.

Once the cow was about halfway up, it slipped on to its side — and everyone grabbed on and pulled the cow up the rest of the way.

It took about 15 minutes from the time the fire department arrived to get the cow to safety.

The cow, reportedly exhausted but unhurt, was able to walk back to the barn after the rescue.