Dog, firemen in cliffhanger

Shady the two-year-old dog has had quite an adventure.

While being walked at Musick Pt, he was let off the lead for a quick run. "Then he saw a rabbit, which took off," says Howick resident Joan Humphrey, who was walking Shady, her daughter's dog.
Shady chased the rabbit out of sight.

Mrs Humphrey says it looked like the rabbit had gone over the cliff and Shady had followed. "I called frantically and I could hear him barking." She could tell by the barking that he was quite far down the cliff but she couldn't see him.

Shady didn't seem hurt but the tide was in and Mrs Humphrey became worried.

Howick College pupils Wendy Peagram, 18, and Nicole Leatham, 17, were at Musick Pt, taking pictures for a photography assignment, when they heard Mrs Humphrey calling out.
Wendy says Mrs Humphrey looked upset so they called the Fire Service. Howick firefighters soon arrived and assessed the situation.

Firefighter Dave Whistler got into his abseiling gear while Jeff Shrimpton found some steps and headed down to the beach. Just as Mr Whistler began lowering himself down the cliff, the barking stopped. Mr Shrimpton had waded through the water, grabbed Shady, swum back round to the beach and climbed up the steps.

"There was a great reunion. I'm very grateful for what they did," says Mrs Humphrey.
"We shouldn't have let him off the lead but there are so few places to exercise a dog. They don't get much exercise on a lead." Thats for sure !! especially for a two year old. Well, that dog now knows that he shouldnt be running too close to the cliff.