Dog survives 50ft dam fall
Image (C) Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) 2022.
A lucky Devon dog has survived after falling 50ft off a dam wall.
Running off ahead of his owners, 20-month-old Obi was on a Boxing Day walk in the woodland near the Burrator Reservoir on Dartmoor when he hurtled off the parapet of the dam.
When Obi realised he had lost his family behind him, he panicked and tried to find his way back to them, jumping off the dam in a state of obvious distress to get back down to ground level.
The Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (DSRT) were called at the request of the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue service, and helped to search for Obi.
An incident report issued by the DSRT said: “Mountain Rescue Teams do not usually search for lost animals, but to avoid risk to members of the public who were intent on searching in darkness alongside fast flowing water we deployed our members who are trained and equipped for such tasks.
“Within minutes of beginning our search pattern OBI was spotted and his owners were escorted to him.”
Once located, Obi was assessed by an DSRT team member who is a veterinary surgeon, and then transported to a veterinary practice in nearby Yelverton.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
