RNLI Rye Harbour and HM Coastguard avoid tragedy with double dog rescue
On Saturday morning (7 April) Rye Harbour volunteer lifeboat crew responded to an HM Coastguard request to help a distressed dog stuck in the mud on the banks of the River Rother.
Due to lack of water the lifeboat was taken down the bank of the Rother on its trailer to assist HM Coastguard in saving a dog that had become stuck in the mud. The owner of the animal had phoned 999 and was put through to the Coastguard who told him to stay calm, that help was on its way and that he should not to enter the water himself.
The RNLI volunteers teamed up with HM Coastguard and the dog was safely rescued and reunited with its worried owners. The dog-owner said, ‘The RNLI and Coastguard were wonderful and we can’t thank them enough. The relief is immense.’
As better weather arrives and more people are walking dogs down by the river and the beach, the RNLI asks people to call 999 for help immediately if their dog gets into trouble, to wait calmly and NOT TO ENTER THE WATER.
As soon as the boat was released by HM Coastguard, a second call came in and the crew was re-tasked to save another dog, also caught in the mud but further down the river. This rescue was also successful and the owners voiced their gratitude to the RNLI Rye Harbour volunteers and HM Coastguard.
Senior crew member on the shout, Tony Peters, said, ‘Now that we are seeing the first warm weather of the year we are experiencing an increase in calls to rescue dogs. We would always advise any dog walker in this area to keep dogs on leads and under no circumstance to attempt to rescue the dogs themselves.”
RNLI Media contacts
Kt Bruce, Rye Harbour RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (07789) 818878 [email protected]
Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252
For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.
Key facts about the RNLIThe Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.
The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.
Learn more about the RNLIFor more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiriesMembers of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 or by email.
The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.