It was an unusual night for Bay of Plenty firefighters who were called to rescue a dog up a tree, instead of the usual cat.

The dog, believed to be a pit-bull cross, got stuck up the tree after chasing a possum on a Rangiuru property at about 8pm on Sunday.

Te Puke and Mount Maunganui firefighters were called to rescue a dog from a tree.

Te Puke firefighters were called to rescue the dog, but did not have a ladder long enough so Mount Maunganui firefighters were called in with a longer ladder to access the dog, which was about 15metres high in the tree.

A vet was also called to partially sedate the dog says Mount Maunganui senior firefighter Adam Martin.

'It wasn't happy about us trying to get it out, it was clinging on that was for sure,” says Adam.

With Te Puke firefighters holding a tarpaulin under the tree to catch the dog if it fell, the dog was eventually brought out of the tree at about 10pm.

'The owner was most pleased to see the dog out,” says Adam.