Dog rescued after getting stuck in mud near Rye Harbour entrance

A dog was saved by the RNLI after it got stuck in the mud in the river near Rye Harbour's entrance on Monday (July 11).
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Jul 2016, 15:57 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 00:05 BST

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Marni the Hungarian Biszla was rescued by Rye Harbour RNLI, much to the relief of her owner Sarah BlackmanMarni the Hungarian Biszla was rescued by Rye Harbour RNLI, much to the relief of her owner Sarah Blackman
Marni the Hungarian Biszla was rescued by Rye Harbour RNLI, much to the relief of her owner Sarah Blackman

The volunteer lifeboat crew from Rye Harbour RNLI were called out by harbour master James Bateman to rescue the Hungarian Biszla at around 1pm.

Marni the dog had gone into the river shortly after low tide and was soon in difficulty due to the high training walls, which hold back the river bank, and deep mud near the harbour entrance.

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She had been in the water for well over an hour before the RNLI volunteer crew quickly located her and managed to get her safely on board the lifeboat.

Mrs Blackman said the RNLI were her heroes after saving her dogMrs Blackman said the RNLI were her heroes after saving her dog
Mrs Blackman said the RNLI were her heroes after saving her dog

Rye Harbour RNLI lifeboat operations manager Richard Tollett said: “Marni was clearly in distress and shivering before the crew managed to wrap her in a blanket and console her.

“Her owner, Sandy Blackman of St Leonards, did the right thing in contacting the emergency services and not trying to enter the river herself, which could have been very dangerous due to the mud and currents in the harbour entrance.”

Mrs Blackman was full of praise for the volunteer crew calling them ‘her heroes’, according to the RNLI, and will return to Rye Harbour Lifeboat Station for its open day on July 23, to help raise funds for its new lifeboat.

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This is the third time this year that Rye Harbour’s inshore lifeboat Alexander has been launched to rescue a dog from the river.

The RNLI is currently running a national safety campaign called Respect the Water in a bid to reduce the number of accidental drownings around the coast of the UK.

One of the campaign messages is aimed at making people think carefully and assess the potential dangers of entering the water without the necessary preparation or equipment.

“We would advise people to keep away from the edge of the water and stick to designated paths and safety signs,” Richard added.

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“If exploring the coastline, always get local advice on the tide and the sea conditions and be mindful of tides, waves and rip currents.

“We would urge pet owners not to enter the water in this type of situation too, but to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

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