Dog Goes Over Cliff Near Bude – Coastguard Called In to Help

Coastguard paged on Tuesday evening

Bude Coastguard Rescue Team were called out at 7:05pm on Tuesday 17th March following a report of a dog that had gone over the cliff at Compass Point.

Boscastle Coastguard Rescue Team were also tasked to assist with personnel, in case a technical rope recovery was needed.

Dog heard barking from the base of the cliff

On arrival, the Officer-in-Charge assessed the situation. With the tide ebbing and the location of the dog confirmed by sound, a footpath recovery was deemed possible. The dog could be heard barking from the bottom of the cliff.

Three Coastguard Rescue Officers, equipped with water safety gear and “plenty of tasty treats,” made their way down to the cove.

Fortunately, the dog was mostly unharmed

Despite what the Coastguard described as a “nasty fall,” the dog was found relatively unharmed. With some encouragement, the dog was able to walk on a lead back up the cliff path to be reunited with its owners.

Coastguard urges caution near cliffs

A spokesperson for Bude Coastguard Rescue Team said:

“As with any incident of this nature, Coastguard Rescue Teams are tasked to prevent members of the public from putting themselves at risk attempting to rescue their pets. We recommend that dogs are always kept on a lead at the coast, especially near cliff edges. If your dog gets stuck on a ledge, or swept out to sea, don’t go after them – most dogs make it back safely, but you might not.”

They also noted:

“Please also note that we are not aware of the exact circumstances that led to the dog falling from the cliff, and although we understand that incidents like this are highly emotive, we kindly ask that any comments below are good natured.”

No further details about the dog or its owners were released.