Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat crew rescue dog stranded half a mile out to sea
A runaway dog that became exhausted after swimming a half mile out to sea was rescued by the lifeboat crew from Lowestoft
The alarm had been raised by a lady who was sitting in the café on the seafront and saw what she thought was a seal’s head in the sea. A couple who had been following the runaway dog after spotting her alone, dodging traffic on a busy road nearby, still wearing a collar and harness - confirmed that the animal had gone into the sea.
The lady called 999 and directed the lifeboat to where the dog had last been seen. She said "The lifeboat crew couldn’t see the dog at first and came in towards the shore to check and found that it was further out . The seagulls were swooping down near to the dog and helped to guide the lifeboat to the stranded animal”
Lowestoft Lifeboat Coxswain John Fox said “we launched our relief lifeboat ‘Cassandra’ just before 2.30pm and after checking with people on the beach eventually found the dog about a half mile off shore. Deputy Second Coxswain Nigel Lyman went down onto the spray rail and pulled the dog on board our lifeboat. The dog was extremely cold verging on hypothermic so we took her into the warm wheel house and wrapped her in blankets and after telling those on the beach the good news that we had found the dog we sped back to the lifeboat station."
There the dog was taken into the warm crew room and was met by members of the Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard Rescue Team who checked her over.
The owner was contacted from details on the dog’s collar which showed that the dog was called ‘Willow”. When reunited the young woman who was caring for the dog which belonged to her sister said that the dog had been chasing another canine and had run off from the Pakefield Caravan Park half a mile away and then disappeared.
The dog, an Alsation Labrador cross with a bit of Staffie, is just over a year old and was thought to have swallowed sea water and the owner took 'Willow' to the vets for a further checkup - later reporting on Facebook that the vet had given 'Willow' the all clear and that she was now home and well!
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.
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