Dunbar RNLI: Life boat crew save adorable dog that was stranded on the rocks

Fergus was being walked by his owner along Ravensheugh Beach near Tyninghame around 2.30pm on Tuesday.

He leapt into the sea while chasing after a bird and soon found that he could not reach the shore again.

Picture Credit: Nick Mailer

The owner raised the alarm and the coast guard were called.

Within 20 minutes the volunteer crew from the RNLI in Dunbar and North Berwick spotted Fergus on some distant rocks.

ILB helm Gordon Kirkham said: “Fergus had managed to clamber onto rocks but by the time we arrived had clearly been in the water for some time and was looking tired and scared.

“He was initially wary of us but became friendlier the more he got used to us. He was wary of the boat though and we had to physically lift him aboard.

Credit: Nick Mailer

"We took him ashore on the lifeboat but even with his owner there he was reluctant to get out.

“We even tried to coax him with biscuits!

“Eventually we lifted him out and he was reunited with his very relieved owner.

Fergus and his owner, Janie Gray, who were visiting East Lothian and staying nearby, were walking with a friend and another dog when the incident happened.

Janie said: “It was honestly one of the worst experiences. I just felt so helpless watching him swim further and further out to sea.

“I cannot thank Dunbar RNLI and the coastguard teams enough.

"A fantastic outcome after a very worrying 45 minutes.”

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