Coastguards along the south coast are warning dog owners to keep a tight rein on their dogs after three dog fatalities on Saturday.
At just before 9.00 a.m. this morning Brixham Coastguard received a call from a member of the public who reported seeing two dogs had gone over the cliff at Bolt Tail. The full Hope Cove Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to the area in case efforts were being made to recover the dogs by the owner or any other member of the public who may have been putting themselves at risk.
When the Hope Cove Team arrived at the cliff top and assessed the situation they found both dogs had died in their headlong plunge from the high cliff top.
Later this morning Portland Coastguard received a similar call reporting that a dog had possibly gone over the cliff at Kings Hole, near Beer, after racing off from its owner..
Ros Evans, Watch Manager at Portland Coastguard said:
‘These incidents follow a very similar pattern which we also saw near Beer last weekend. Dogs are very keen to exercise, and in good weather a walk along a cliff top can be an exhilarating experience. However the day can turn into heartbreak for the owner if the dog cannot stop before reaching the edge of the cliff as we saw this morning.
‘Our decision to turn a full team out is partly to ensure the owner of the dogs do not themselves at risk in recovering a possibly seriously injured animal. However these necessary turn outs do require our volunteers from all walks of life to stop whatever they are doing and race to the scene. If dog owners can be a little more thoughtful and not unleash their dog until they reach the safety of inland pathways then a lot of pain and anguish can be avoided.?