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Puppy Dies After Being Swept into Water at Dunbar
7 January 2019, 14:18 | Updated: 7 January 2019, 14:20
The alarm was raised by fishermen at around 12pm on Monday that the Chihuahua had fallen into Dunbar Harbour.
It came as force six winds - with gusts of 30mph - hit the East Lothian coast.
The dog's 21-year-old owner entered the water after his pet, but was not able to reach it.
He then swam to the other side and pulled himself up a ladder.
As RNLI lifeboat crews tended to the man, another volunteer swam out and reached the dog.
He and another crew member brought the puppy ashore.
Volunteers fought to save the animal and took it to a vet in the town, but it did not recover.
An ambulance transferred the man to hospital for treatment.
Dog owners have been urged by the RNLI to keep them on a lead if close to cliff edges or fast flowing rivers, while warning not to go after
them if they get into difficulty in water.
A spokesman said: "The crew's thoughts go to the dog's owner and family."
