Dunbar RNLI Volunteers Rescue Stranded Dog
Dunbar’s RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew came to the rescue of a dog that became stranded on rocks during a beach walk on Tuesday (Nov 10).
Flat-coated retriever Fergus had jumped into the sea at Ravensheugh Beach near Tyninghame around 2.30pm. After repeated attempts by his owner to reach the dog the alarm was raised and UK Coastguard paged for Dunbar’s inshore lifeboat (ILB) at 2.45pm.
Within 20 minutes the volunteer crew were on scene and, with assistance from coastguard teams from Dunbar and North Berwick on the shore, spotted Fergus stuck some distance out on rocks.
ILB helm Gordon Kirkham said: “Fergus had managed to clamber onto rocks but by the time we arrived had clearly been in the water for some time and was looking tired and scared.
“He was initially wary of us but became friendlier the more he got used to us. He was wary of the boat though and we had to physically lift him aboard. We took him ashore on the lifeboat but even with his owner there he was reluctant to get out. We even tried to coax him with biscuits!
“Eventually we lifted him out and he was reunited with his very relieved owner. It was good to see him walk off, back on the lead, none the worse for his ordeal.”
Fergus and his owner, who were visiting East Lothian and staying nearby, were walking with a friend and another dog when the incident happened.
Gordon added: “The owner did the right thing in asking for help and not risking their own safety attempting to recover the dog themselves.”
After UK Coastguard stood down the crew they returned to Dunbar and were refuelled and ready for service at 4pm.
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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