A video of a dog eagerly awaiting the arrival of a ferry in Scotland has delighted viewers, with some calling it "sweet" and "lovely".
The Original Skye Ferry, which takes passengers between the Scottish island and the settlement of Glenelg on the western coast of the mainland between Easter and October, shared the adorable video on social media.
The ferry attracts visitors far and wide due to one of its employees: Spot the Border Collie. This four-legged worker is known to help ready the ferry for departure by pulling the ropes up onto the boat.
The clip shows the Border Collie excitedly waiting in the water as the ferry approaches the jetty, before it leaps aboard all the while while wagging his tail.
General manager of the Skye Ferry Jo Crawford said: "He’s been on the ferry for about five years now and took to it easily under the tutelage of his granda and his mum, Kim.
"He belongs to Donnie MacDonald, our Senior Skipper, who has a Croft in the Glen. Donnie has been skippering the ferry for about 30 years or more.
"Spot is a sheep dog when he’s not on duty on the ferry. And, no, he has never fallen in."
Those who have travelled to Skye on the ferry in years gone by may be aware that Spot is in fact the grandson of Nak, who was the original ferry dog. Nak sadly passed away in 2022, and Spot has taken up the reins since.
Taking to Facebook, the Original Skye Ferry posted a video showing Spot eagerly awaiting the arrival of the ferry on its first day of operation of the 2023 season with the caption: "Spot the dog beside himself with excitement at his first day on duty for 2023 season."
Since being posted, the video has received more than 1,800 likes and over 70 comments. Travellers and tourists alike were keen to share their thoughts on Spot.
One wrote: "He’s definitely the star of the show! I love his enthusiasm."
"So lovely to see," said a second, while a third shared: "Glad to see he’s so happy in his work".
"Dogs are the best," commented a fourth, while a fifth revealed: "Hoping to meet Spot in June."
The small ferry, which is the "last manually operated turntable ferry in the world", has become a popular tourist attraction for those seeking an alternate and more unique way to cross to the island than the Skye Bridge.
If you're heading to Skye this Easter holiday season, consider taking the Glenelg ferry—you may be lucky enough to have Spot helping you out.
More information can be found on the Skye Ferry website.
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