Black lab swept out to sea playing fetch was ‘not sharpest knife in drawer’
This is the dramatic moment a dog was saved from drowning after being swept out to sea.
Shaddah the black labrador was fetching a ball in the water when he fell victim to strong winds and a powerful current at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland.
His worried owner alerted the coastguard and an RNLI lifeboat was scrambled as he desperately paddled against the tide.
Shaddah was eventually hauled to safety, dried off and returned to his owner who anxiously watched the rescue from the shore.
The RNLI said: ‘Shaddah’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer, so when he ran into the sea to fetch a ball and then kept going, his owner faced a dilemma – try to rescue Shaddah, or do something else?
‘They called the RNLI. If you’re dog-walking close to cliff edges or fast flowing rivers, put them on a lead.
‘Elsewhere, if they fall in the water or get stuck in mud, don’t go after them.
‘Move to a place they can get to safely, and call – they’ll probably get out. If you’re worried, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.’
The RNLI released footage of the rescue from March 2021 as part of its new dog walking safety campaign.
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