Rescuers in New South Wales, Australia, were called into action after a dog was swept off the rocks in Batemans Bay and swam nearly 800 metres across the water to Snapper Island. The Marine Rescue NSW team estimated the journey took between 20 and 30 minutes.
The dog was first spotted by a member of the public at Observation Point and national parks staff, who alerted the rescue service. Inspector Glenn Sullivan said they received two phone calls about the animal, which was swimming about 200 to 300 metres offshore.
Unit commander Rod Ingamells described the rescue as challenging due to the difficult terrain. A volunteer, described as a dog lover, entered the water but the canine played hide and seek, moving to the other side of the island. A jet ski was dispatched and it took about an hour to coax the dog aboard.
Mr Ingamells noted that the rescue team had recently been training on new watercraft, which proved useful. He said the dog looked “very comfortable and happy to be off the island” and added: “We’ve been training for months, and he’s got the accolade for being the first rescue. It turns out to be a puppy instead of a person.”
The dog suffered cuts to its paw from sharp rocks and was taken to a vet. Inspector Sullivan noted that sea conditions were exceptionally calm, which aided the rescue. The dog spent the night at the vet and was reunited with its owner the following morning, though it remains under council care pending inspection of the owner’s property.
