A spaniel has been rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) after falling 100ft down a cliff and suffering serious injuries.
Yogi over the edge of the cliff while on a walk with his owner, Emily Linehan, who immediately dialled 999 and asked for the Coastguard. Torbay RNLI lifeboat was launched, and the Yogi was soon spotted by volunteer crew members at the base of the cliff. As well as being wet and cold, he had suffered with injuries to his legs, eye and spine.
Crew member Jack Hawkett was put ashore to coax Yogi out from the cliffs. He then carried him on board the lifeboat, where he was taken back to shore to be reunited with his owner.
Emily said, “I’m so grateful to the crew. There are no words for how I feel right now. I’m so impressed with how kind everyone was – all the crew were amazing. Yogi wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the RNLI.”
In the fall Yogi suffered a fractured spine, fractured ribs, nerve damage, and an injured eye. He was rushed to a veterinary surgeon for emergency surgery but has now been released and is at home recovering.
Emily said, “It looks like he’s going to make a full recovery and will be able to run like he could before. He’s a very lucky boy.”
Lifeboat helm James Hoare added, “We’re just so glad we found him quickly as he was cold and shaking as well as injured. We wish him all the very best and the fastest possible recovery.”
When visiting the coast with your dog, the RNLI’s key safety advice is:
- Keep dogs on a lead if you’re close to cliff edges or fast-flowing rivers.
- If your dog goes into the water or gets stuck in mud, don’t go after them. Move to a place your dog can reach safely and call them.
- If you’re worried about your dog, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.