Dog had fallen 5 metres onto the foreshore on Remembrance Sunday

The Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat rescued a chihuahua and her owner after they became trapped on the Thames foreshore this Remembrance Sunday.

While many of the crew were away at the ceremony at Chiswick War Memorial, the duty crew received a call at 10.15am reporting a woman and her dog in difficulties on the foreshore in Hammersmith.

After a 5m fall onto the muddy foreshore the small dog’s owner had clambered down and extricated her from the mud but was unable to get back up the river wall.

When the lifeboat arrived on scene the owner had managed to get to her dog. Both were very muddy and couldn’t get back up the vertical ladder on the river wall. The crew took them on board the lifeboat and checked that they hadn’t entered the water or suffered any injuries. They were then taken to a nearby pier.

Chiswick RNLI helmsman Glen Monroe said ‘This was the eighth dog our crew has helped this year. It was fortunate that the chihuahua fell into soft mud and wasn’t injured. As in many other incidents, evacuating casualties into the lifeboat was the only safe option. With a launch target of 90 seconds and the speed of the E Class lifeboat we can reach any incident in a few minutes.’

Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland. Since The RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames started in 2002, Chiswick Lifeboat has attended over 3,500 incidents and rescued over 1,730 people. The RNLI is entirely funded by public donations.

Chihuahua and her owner rescued after fall. Picture: RNLI/David Clarke

For information on how to stay safe on or near water or to find your nearest lifeguarded beach, or find out more about their work, visit the RNLI’s website at www.rnli.org.uk.

November 19, 2018