'Harry' rescued by Chiswick RNLI lifeboat crew

They arrived a few minutes after launching from Chiswick Pier to find Harry, a very wet black labrador, stranded on a narrow strip of foreshore at the foot of a sheer river wall in Kew. He was unable to scramble up the smooth concrete and his owners were unable to reach him. The crew approached but Harry was reluctant to get into the lifeboat. The crew arranged to pick up Harry’s owner and son a short distance downstream. They were all reunited and were soon landed safely back at some steps to climb back to the towpath and resume their walk. The crew, Mark Finnis, Andy Mayo, Tim Hallac and Jason Anthony returned to station ready for the next call.

RNLI helm Mark Finnis commented ‘The river wall at this point is too smooth for even an agile dog to climb back up, so the only way to recover him was from the river. The owner sensibly did not put himself at risk by entering the water and we were able to resolve the situation quickly before it might have deteriorated.’

Chiswick RNLI will have a stall at the Chiswick House Dog Show on 22 September. There will be lots of souvenirs for dogs, children (and adults). Lifeboat crew will be on hand to talk about their rescues and how to stay safe near the river.

Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland. Since The RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames started in 2002, Chiswick Lifeboat has attended over 3,500 incidents and rescued over 1,750 people, and dozens of dogs. The RNLI is entirely funded by public donations.

RNLI media contacts

• David Clarke RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (Chiswick), 07951 210500 [email protected]
• Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207416, 07786 668825, [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

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.