A lucky dog who miraculously survived a 100ft fall has been reunited with his beloved owner. Yogi the spaniel plunged over the edge of the cliff while on a walk last week and suffered serious injuries from head to toe - but still lived to tell the tale.
His owner, Emily Linehan, immediately dialled 999 and asked for the Coastguard who alerted a water crew to Yogi's fall. Torbay Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers spotted the wet, cold and severely injured pooch at the base of the rock face.
Sign up to our TeamDogs newsletter for your weekly dose of dog news, pictures and stories.
Crew member Jack Hawkett was put ashore and gently coaxed the frightened dog out from the cliffs. He carried him on board the lifeboat to Emily who was waiting on the shore.
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."
Yogi was rushed to a veterinary surgeon for emergency surgery where it was discovered he suffered a fractured spine, fractured ribs, nerve damage and an injured eye.
The miracle dog 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 said: "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 advise to:
- 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.
If you'd like to donate to the RNLI's lifesaving work, visit the website.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
