Dog rescued by lifeboat after getting stranded chasing seagulls

Dog rescued after chasing seagulls
The unnamed spaniel’s little adventure ended with it being reunited with its owner (Picture: Daily Post Wales/RNLI)

A swimming dog had to be rescued by a lifeboat after chasing a flock of gulls out to sea this morning.

The enthusiastic spaniel was running around following the birds in Rhyl, Wales, when it entered the water at around 9am. But the unnamed pet got a bit carried away and – fearing for the animal – its owner dialled 999 and was told not to try to rescue it when asking for help. With the dog failing to turn back, Rhyl lifeboat was launched 11 minutes after the call, together with the volunteers of Rhyl Coastguard rescue team.

The pet was soon located, brought onboard the lifeboat, and returned to his grateful owner, who has not been identified.

Martin Jones, RNLI Coxswain for Rhyl’s RNLI Lifeboat, said: ‘There was initial worry the owner would attempt to rescue the dog, but on the coastguard’s advice, remained on the beach, keeping the dog in sight.

‘We are so happy the animal and it’s owner are reunited.’

Meanwhile, a man had to be airlifted to hospital with suspected broken bones after jumping into the sea in another part of the Welsh coast yesterday.

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Have you ever wondered why your dog curls up in a ball when they sleep? It’s actually an age-old instinct to keep themselves warm and to protect vital organs while they sleep.

Rescue teams were called to the Mwnt area of Ceredigion shortly before 3.30pm on Sunday, August 30.
A dog rescued from the sea off the coast of Rhyl after chasing seagulls swims next to an RNLI boat
The white and brown spaniel was rescued from off the coast of Rhyl (Picture: Daily Post Wales/RNLI)
A dog rescued from the sea off the coast of Rhyl after chasing seagulls is stroked by an RNLI volunteer
RNLI volunteers managed to get a stroke in (Picture: Daily Post Wales/RNLI)
Dog rescued from sea off coast of Rhyl after chasing seagulls is reunited with its owner on the beach.
Another dog gets curious after the seagull-related antics (Picture: Daily Post Wales/RNLI)
According to the RNLI, the injured man was on the rocks near Mwnt beach, around five miles north of Cardigan, having been ‘tombstoning’ in the area. He was taken to the beach by RNLI crews from the Cardigan Lifeboat station, and from there he was flown to hospital by a UK Coastguard helicopter.

His current condition is not known, but rescue teams said he sustained suspected broken ankles and a spinal injury.

Tombstoning is the act of jumping in a straight and upright posture into the sea or other body of water from a high platform, such as a cliff.

Earlier this month, a teenager was taken to hospital after a similar incident in Glynneath.

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