DON’T JUMP IN – WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES

A dog walk nearly ended in a double tragedy today when an owner jumped into rough seas in an attempt to rescue his six month old puppy.

It’s believed that the six month-old Springer Spaniel puppy jumped over the sea wall at Dawlish. The owner then tried to rescue the puppy by jumping after it into the water. Luckily a quick thinking member of the public threw a life ring to the owner who was then pulled out of water.

Brixham Coastguard Watch Manager Matt Thornhill said:

“We’re reading wind speeds of Force 6 –7 and so the sea is very rough. At this time of year the sea is also very cold so it’s a really bad idea to try and rescue a dog from the water yourself. If you do attempt a rescue there is a chance that you will be swept out to sea or get overwhelmed by the cold, rough seas.

“Sadly, in this case, the dog did not survive but in many cases dogs do return to shore alive whilst some owners do not. Don’t jump in, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

 -Ends-

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