Seal swims to rescue of drowning dog

July 14, 2006

By Paul Stokes

(Filed: 20/06/2002)

A seal was seen coming to the aid of a drowning dog and pushing it to the safety

of a river bank.

Chris Hinds, a court warrants officer, was out walking his own dogs when he saw

the alsatian-cross injured and whimpering at the water's edge. As he approached,

it panicked and plunged into the River Tees only to be swept away by the

fast-flowing tide on Tuesday evening. Mr Hinds, 43, sent his son Raymond, 18, to

call the fire brigade and RSPCA from his mobile phone in his car parked nearby.

He stayed on the bank beneath Newport Bridge, Middlesbrough, to follow the path

of the dog. As the dog yelped 30ft out and he shouted, a seal popped up and

began to circle the stricken animal. Then to Mr Hind's amazement it swam up

behind the dog and used its nose to push it by the backside on to mudflats.

" I just couldn't believe what was happening in front of my eyes, it was a truly

amazing experience I will never forget, " said Mr Hinds, of Middlesbrough, who

had been out walking his own two dogs. I thought the dog would die because there

was nothing I could do to get to it. When the seal suddenly appeared from

nowhere I wondered what it would do. It took a matter of seconds to save the

dog. I don't know why the seal did what it did. I can't explain it. "

The rescued dog, thought to be aged between five and eight, had a gashed head

and an injured rear leg. It had no collar and police are now trying to trace the

owner. Sub-officer Mark Baxter of Stockton fire station said: " It is one of the

strangest things I have ever heard. By the time we arrived the dog was on dry

land and there were three common seals bobbing in the water keeping an eye on

him. "

Laura Glover, of the RSPCA, said: " The dog owes its life to the seal. "

Common seals were instinctively protective animals and, unlike grey seals,

rarely aggressive, said Dominic Waddell, an expert in seal behaviour and senior

aquarist at Scarborough's Sealife and Marine Sanctuary. He added: " The seal

might have seen the dog as something unusual which should not have been in the

water. They are highly inquisitive, it would circle the dog and then push it to

the river bank sensing it should be on land. "

He compared the rescue to dolphins guarding shark attack victims to keep them

from harm. " Whatever, it is an amazing story and shows how intelligent seals

are. "

" NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency may

have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this

without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse nor

protection save to call for the impeachment of the current President. "

July 15, 2006

What a lovely story.

Jo

-

" fraggle " <EBbrewpunx

<doomerism (AT) googl (DOT) com>; ;

<vegan-network >

Friday, July 14, 2006 11:31 PM

Seal swims to rescue of drowning dog

> Seal swims to rescue of drowning dog

> By Paul Stokes

> (Filed: 20/06/2002)

>

> A seal was seen coming to the aid of a drowning dog and pushing it to the

safety of a river bank.

>

> Chris Hinds, a court warrants officer, was out walking his own dogs when

he saw the alsatian-cross injured and whimpering at the water's edge. As he

approached, it panicked and plunged into the River Tees only to be swept

away by the fast-flowing tide on Tuesday evening. Mr Hinds, 43, sent his son

Raymond, 18, to call the fire brigade and RSPCA from his mobile phone in his

car parked nearby.

>

> He stayed on the bank beneath Newport Bridge, Middlesbrough, to follow the

path of the dog. As the dog yelped 30ft out and he shouted, a seal popped up

and began to circle the stricken animal. Then to Mr Hind's amazement it swam

up behind the dog and used its nose to push it by the backside on to

mudflats.

>

> " I just couldn't believe what was happening in front of my eyes, it was a

truly amazing experience I will never forget, " said Mr Hinds, of

Middlesbrough, who had been out walking his own two dogs. I thought the dog

would die because there was nothing I could do to get to it. When the seal

suddenly appeared from nowhere I wondered what it would do. It took a matter

of seconds to save the dog. I don't know why the seal did what it did. I

can't explain it. "

>

> The rescued dog, thought to be aged between five and eight, had a gashed

head and an injured rear leg. It had no collar and police are now trying to

trace the owner. Sub-officer Mark Baxter of Stockton fire station said: " It

is one of the strangest things I have ever heard. By the time we arrived the

dog was on dry land and there were three common seals bobbing in the water

keeping an eye on him. "

>

> Laura Glover, of the RSPCA, said: " The dog owes its life to the seal. "

>

> Common seals were instinctively protective animals and, unlike grey seals,

rarely aggressive, said Dominic Waddell, an expert in seal behaviour and

senior aquarist at Scarborough's Sealife and Marine Sanctuary. He added:

" The seal might have seen the dog as something unusual which should not have

been in the water. They are highly inquisitive, it would circle the dog and

then push it to the river bank sensing it should be on land. "

>

> He compared the rescue to dolphins guarding shark attack victims to keep

them from harm. " Whatever, it is an amazing story and shows how intelligent

seals are. "

>

> " NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security

Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They

may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no

recourse nor protection save to call for the impeachment of the current

President. "

>

> To send an email to -

>

July 19, 2006

not much to read here then is there ? earthstrm <earthstorm wrote: That is an awesome story Fraggle! Thanks for sharing it! :)Nikki , fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:>> Seal swims to rescue of drowning dog > By Paul Stokes> (Filed: 20/06/2002)>

<<SNIP>>

All new Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine

July 20, 2006

hi nikki , yes i was lookin for the story cos i wonted to have a read of it thats all how far back wos the story ? earthstrm <earthstorm wrote: Hi Louis,I am really not sure what you are talking about. Are you saying that because I shortened the text for easy reading and you are looking for the story? If so, I was replying to a story that Fraggle posted to this group awhile back. You can find it in the Messages, but you have probably already seen

it.Unless you meant that you did not enjoy the story, then to each his own.Nikki , louis stott <lsstott wrote:>> not much to read here then is there ? > > earthstrm <earthstorm wrote: That is an awesome story Fraggle! Thanks for sharing it! > > Nikki> > , fraggle <EBbrewpunx@> wrote:> >> > Seal swims to rescue of drowning dog > > By Paul Stokes> > (Filed: 20/06/2002)> > > <<SNIP>>> > > > > > > > All new Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC

Magazine>

Try the all-new Mail . "The New Version is radically easier to use" – The Wall Street Journal