Boisterous pup saved by London lifeboat crew after misjudged river jump
Hashi the Portuguese water dog fell 5m over a river wall
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Your support makes all the difference.An “overexcited” Portuguese water dog had to be stretchered to safety on Wednesday after she jumped over a river wall in Fulham, west London.
Hashi decided to live up to her aquatic name and bounded over the barrier in pursuit of a flock of ducks.
But the pup misjudged the leap and badly injured herself when she missed the river and instead landed on the foreshore five metres below.
Members of Chiswick RNLI lifeboat crew were called to investigate reports of a dog in distress in Barn Elms Reach.
When they arrived two crew members were put ashore to assess the situation. The poorly Hashi initially appeared motionless but then they saw her meekly wag her tail.
The pooch’s owner, who was still with her, had alerted a vet and a pet ambulance was on its way to the scene. They had advised keeping the dog still until help arrived.
Veterinary surgeon Rachel Kirkby and veterinary nurse Trish Everett made an initial assessment of Hashi, before the injured dog was carefully transferred into the life boat’s basket stretcher, in order to transport her back to Chiswick Pier.
She was then loaded into the pet ambulance and taken away for further assessment.
Hashi appeared to have emerged relatively unscathed, with no broken bones, but she was referred to a specialist clinic for further tests.
RNLI Lifeboat Helmsman, Glen Munroe, said: “Being able to reach the injured dog from the water made recovery much easier, and all our crew are pleased that they helped ensure a good outcome for Hashi.”
RNLI crew are often called to the aid of animals in distress near the water. In many cases, owners also put themselves at risk by attempting to rescue their pets.
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