CLIFF FALL A TRAGIC REMINDER TO KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEAD
The death of a cocker
spaniel on the Isle of Skye earlier today has served as a tragic reminder to
owners to keep their dog on a lead.
At 2:30pm this afternoon, Stornoway Coastguard received a
999 call reporting that a dog had run over the edge of a 200ft cliff at Kilt
Rock, around 14 miles north of Portree on the Isle of Skye.
The Portree and Dunvegan Coastguard Rescue Teams and the
Portree Lifeboat went to the scene and a Coastguard Officer was lowered down
the cliff to look for the animal.
Coastguards always respond to these incidents to ensure that members of
the public do not attempt to carry out a rescue, putting themselves in danger.
Sadly, the lifeboat crew later recovered the body of the
animal from the water.
Watch Manager for Stornoway Coastguard, Martin Collins,
said:
"This was a very sad incident and a reminder to keep dogs on leads near cliff edges. Even if a cliff edge appears to be adequately fenced, an excited animal can sometimes find a way through. The people in the party walking the dog did the right thing and called 999 to alert the Coastguard, rather than try to rescue the animal themselves, but unfortunately the dog died in the fall."
"This was a very sad incident and a reminder to keep dogs on leads near cliff edges. Even if a cliff edge appears to be adequately fenced, an excited animal can sometimes find a way through. The people in the party walking the dog did the right thing and called 999 to alert the Coastguard, rather than try to rescue the animal themselves, but unfortunately the dog died in the fall."