We all like to think we're upstanding citizens who would gladly help out a furry friend in need.

But Londoners are being urged to think twice about calling the fire brigade when they see an animal in dire straits.

The London Fire Brigade's I'm An Animal, Get Me Out of Here campaign aims to stop call-outs for unnecessary animal rescues.

Fire crews are called out to rescue an animal every 16 hours at a cost of around £16,500 a month.

Over half of the animal rescues involved cats but it's not just our feline friends who get themselves into sticky situations.

Some of the more unusual rescues include a squirrel trapped in a satellite dish in Wandsworth, a ferret trapped in a lift shaft in Kingston and a trapped tortoise in New Malden.

Animal lovers also went out of their way to call the emergency services when a snake was on the loose in a flat in Holloway and a chicken got stuck in a tree in Stockwell.

In 2011-12, firefighters were called out to rescue 650 animals but since the launch of their first ever animal rescue campaign these incidents have fallen to 526 last year - a drop of 20 per cent.

London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: "I'm pleased that our campaign has led to a reduction in animal call outs but there is still a lot to do to dispel the old stereotype about firefighters rescuing cats from trees.

"If there is a cat up a tree, or an animal stuck anywhere, the first port of call should always be the RSPCA, not the emergency services.

"Pet owners need to keep a close eye on their animals in a bid to avoid some of these situations happening.

"What's worrying is that when firefighters are out rescuing animals, they’re not available to attend real emergencies."