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Wells inshore lifeboat crew rescue dog cut off by tide

Lifeboats News Release

Wells inshore lifeboat was tasked by Humber Coastguard at 2:33pm on Sunday 29 December to assist a dog and family stranded on the North side of Wells beach after becoming cut off by the incoming tide.

Wells RNLI D class lifeboat launching to rescue a dog cut off by the incoming tide

RNLI/Ray West

Wells RNLI D class lifeboat launching to rescue a dog

The family of four were walking along the beach and had become cut off by the tide. While they were able to wade to safety, their dog was unable to follow them back and remained stranded on the seaward part of the beach as the tide continued to rise.

At 2:42pm Wells inshore lifeboat, with a volunteer crew of three, launched and headed towards the location of the dog. At the time of the launch, the dog had attempted to swim across the channel to the beach but encountered difficulties. The owner entered the water again in an attempt to assist the dog.

Upon arrival at the scene at 2:46pm, the lifeboat crew found that the dog owner had managed to bring the dog to the shore. However, the dog was suffering from the cold and had stopped breathing. Immediate action was taken to bring both the owner and the dog aboard the lifeboat.

Using their knowledge of human casualty care, a crew member was able to administer chest compressions on the dog. The lifeboat then returned ashore, arriving back at the station at 2:55pm.

The dog was quickly transferred to the boathouse crew room, where it was warmed up, and the crew's efforts proved successful. A crew member who is a vet, checked the dog over and remarkably, she appeared okay following her ordeal.

The inshore lifeboat was refuelled, rehoused, and back in service by 4:00pm. The family, including their dog, returned home safely.

Notes to editors

Wells RNLI has a D class inshore lifeboat Peter Wilcox and a Shannon class all- weather lifeboat Duke of Edinburgh. The boathouse and the all-weather lifeboat were new in 2022. The Duke of Edinburgh lifeboat was the first UK Launch a Memory lifeboat, which has 15,000 names printed on the decals. This helped to raise much needed funds for the RNLI and attracts thousands of visitors to the station.

RNLI Media contacts

Jess Curtis, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Wells RNLI, Tel: 07860200790

Email [email protected]

Wells inshore lifeboat with a volunteer crew of three on rescue to assist a dog cut off by tide

RNLI/Ray West

Wells inshore lifeboat with a volunteer crew of three on rescue to assist a dog cut off by tide

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, Twitter 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.

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