Baltimore RNLI rescues Dixie who took a ‘wuff’ cliff fall at the Beacon

DIXIE the dog had more excitement than she bargained for on her walk in Baltimore on Tuesday morning.

Dixie and her owner Petra Reimers were taking advantage of the first dry morning in a while to enjoy a walk by the Beacon, when the mixed terrier took a tumble.

‘She was full of beans as she hadn’t been out in a while due to the weather so I let her off the lead as she was pulling and pulling.

‘She must have smelled something as she took off and ran out of sight. I was calling her, and after a while I could see that she had found a way to get down the cliffs but it was impossible for her to get back up,’ said Petra.

Things got even more dramatic when Petra saw her five-year-old pet slip into the sea below, but luckily she was able to swim to shore.

‘Some tourists at the Beacon had a drone and we could see her nose popping out from under a rock so at least I knew she was alright,’ said Petra who phoned for help and the volunteer Baltimore lifeboat crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard just before 10am.

On his first call out since being passed out as a new helm for the station, David Ryan launched the Atlantic 85 class lifeboat assisted by the shore crew and with crew members Jerry Smith, Kieran Collins and Eoin O’Driscoll onboard. Arriving on scene, the crew observed Dixie sheltering and waiting under a rock ledge after she managed to swim ashore.

Crew members Kieran and Eoin entered the sea and retrieved the dog bringing her safely back onto the lifeboat and back to shore to a relieved Petra.

‘She came off the boat like nothing at all had happened  – I’m still shaken from it all!’ she said.

Safely back home, Dixie enjoyed a snooze on the couch after her ordeal and a bone as a treat, said Petra who thanked the crew for coming to their rescue.

Dixie recovering at home on the couch.

Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI lifeboat press officer said: ‘Dixie wasn’t far up the cliff when she fell into an area of the sea which is inaccessible from the shore, so her owner did the right thing in raising the alarm. While shaken and cold, Dixie is otherwise safe and well and everyone is delighted for her and her relived owner. We want to commend all our crew involved and congratulate David on his first call out as helm, I am sure it is one he won’t forget.

‘We would remind anyone planning a walk near the coast with their dog to keep themselves safe when they walk with them. If your dog does go into the water or gets stuck in mud, don’t go in after them.

‘Instead, move to a place where you can get to safely and call the dog as they may be able to get out themselves. If not and you are worried, call 999 or 112 as this owner rightly did and ask for the Coast Guard.’