A puppy has been saved from certain death by RNLI heroes after falling from a 60ft coastal ledge. Cockapoo Betty, 11 months old, was trapped in an isolated cove for six hours before reuniting with her owner.
Royal National and Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers in Ilfracombe, Devon, were called to the area last month after Betty slipped off the top of the cliff. She then fell onto the tidal shelf beneath it.
Betty’s owner, Karen Porter, said the ordeal was “terrifying” and admits she is “amazed” her puppy survived the fall.
“It was terrifying having her stuck down there, but everyone was amazing, I can’t thank the RNLI and the Coastguard enough, they were wonderful,” she said.
“We’re amazed that she’s come out of this alive. The vet is amazed at how well she’s healing so far – she’s been making a remarkable recovery. We go back in a couple of weeks for X-rays and then she can start exercising again.”
The young cockapoo slipped on her lead while on her walk and tumbled from the cliff after she was startled by the Coastguard crew trying to rescue her.
“She’s still very scared of strange people so when the Coastguard team went down to get her, she got scared and tumbled over the edge down onto the beach below,” Ms Porter explained.
After her fall, Betty was trapped on a small ledge unable to move for six hours while Coastguard crew members tried to rescue the cockapoo.
Ilfracombe volunteer crew member Matt Parr said: “It was a massive relief when we could see the dog on the beach and she looked okay. After a bit of difficulty calming her down, we got her into the boat pretty easily and she relaxed a bit.
“The owner did the right thing by calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard and not attempting to help Betty herself. It is a great feeling to be able to hand a much-loved dog back to its owners. They were so pleased to see her.”
Every year, the RNLI is called to rescue an array of creatures and last year the charity rescued animals 209 times including 164 dogs, 27 dolphins, two deer, a rabbit, and a snake.
