Padstow Cliff Rescue: Dog Stranded Below Park Head Found After Dark

A missing dog that had been gone since Monday morning was found in one of the worst possible places: the rocks at the base of the cliffs at Park Head.

The Call Came In After Dark

HM Coastguard Padstow were tasked at 9.18pm on Monday 4th May to reports of a dog over the cliff at Park Head. When the team arrived, the first informant pointed out the dog’s location at the bottom of the cliff, stuck amongst the rocks below.

The team began setting up for a cliff rescue and called in Newquay Coastguard Search and Rescue Team as backup, which is standard practice for any cliff job.

📷Credit: HM Coastguard Padstow

A Change of Plan

Padstow Lifeboat then arrived on scene. After a discussion with the Coxswain, the decision was made to attempt the rescue from the water using the lifeboat’s Y-boat instead of bringing a cliff technician down on ropes.

The Padstow Coastguard team illuminated the cove from above and directed the lifeboat crew straight to the dog. By the time Newquay CRT arrived to assist, the Padstow team was on stand-by, ready to deploy a cliff technician if the Y-boat couldn’t reach the animal.

It didn’t come to that. The lifeboat crew successfully reached the dog and got it back to the all-weather lifeboat.

📷Credit: HM Coastguard Padstow

Reunited at the Lifeboat Station

The owners were contacted and made their way to Padstow Lifeboat Station to collect their dog. With the rescue complete, the teams packed away the cliff equipment and were stood down.

How the dog ended up at the bottom of the cliff isn’t clear. It had been missing since the morning of the same day.

In their report, HM Coastguard Padstow used the incident to remind dog owners, locals and visitors alike, to keep dogs on leads on or near the coast. A dog can follow a scent or an instinct and run off to explore at any moment, and the consequences on the Cornish coastline can be serious.

This one ended well.

📷Credit: HM Coastguard Padstow

📷Credit: HM Coastguard Padstow