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Rescue at Sea by the RNLI
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Weston-Super-Mare RNLI goes to the rescue of Ellie
The RNLI are well known for their work rescuing people who get caught out at sea, but perhaps less known for their amazing work rescuing animals such as Ellie, pictured below.
Labrador Ellie was out for walkies with her owner on a Monday morning back in November 2010. She was chasing a bird, and this led her to fall over a 35 foot high cliff into the Bristol Channel. She landed in the sea, but the tide was going out, so she was quickly marooned on rocks with an injured eye and a broken leg. Her owner couldn't reach her, nor could Ellie climb back up, and so her owner called the volunteer crew of the Weston-Super-Mare RNLI lifeboat was called. The RNLI launched their inshore lifeboat and headed to the scene.
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There the tide was ebbing fast and the crew could carry Ellie to their lifeboat and carefully head back to their station. Helpers there helped carry Ellie ashore to the pier where she was reunited with her owner. The Coastguard had arranged for a vet to attend to Ellie, whose leg was set and wounds dressed. She should make a full recovery.
Put your dog on a lead near cliffs
RNLI Helmsman Andrew Stone said: ‘It is not unusual of us to be called to recue pets. We do so not only to save the animals life to also to avoid the owners trying to do the rescue themselves and in so doing getting themselves into dangerous situations. We always advise dog walkers to keep their animals on a lead when they are near cliffs or other dangerous areas.’
These words of caution have been echoed recently by the RSPCA, who recently urged walkers to keep their dogs on leads. Their rescue teams collected 140 animals from cliffs in 2010, a steady increase from 136 in 2009 and 116 in 2008. By the end of June 2011, they had rescued 73. A common problem is the number of sheep who are frightened by dogs off leads and end up over on a cliff face so it's important for dog owners to keep their hounds on a lead.
The RNLI has useful tips on Beach Safety here, well worth reading before you head out for a day or holiday near the sea or cliffs. Visit the RNLI main website here And you can support the RNLI - the RNLI Shop has some lovely goodies available in its online shop, including gifts for wildlife lovers.
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