A woman who had to battle to save her dog from drowning in a deep reservoir is urging people to be aware of its potential dangers.
Linda Leigh had a harrowing experience at a reservoir in Algarkirk when her dog Lilly fell into the water and was unable to get out.
“I suddenly saw her in the water and started panicking,” said Linda. “I kept throwing my coat in to her but she couldn’t get a grip on it.
“I nearly fell into the water myself trying to reach her.”
The accident happened at about 8am on Saturday, February 16, while Linda was walking her two dogs alongside the reservoir.
She said: “Lilly was in the water about half-an-hour and I could see she was getting tired so I was becoming more and more desperate.”
The dog, a Welsh collie, was eventually rescued by a fire crew from Kirton who used a a ‘ceiling hook’ – a long stick with a hook on the end to help the eight-year-old dog out.
“It was very upsetting and I wouldn’t want others to go through what I did,” she said.
Linda feels more people should be made aware of the dangers of reservoirs, adding: “Because the sides are sloped and covered in plastic , there is nothing for an animal or person to pull themselves out on.”
A few days after the incident Linda returned to the reservoir to retrieve her coat – and came across a disturbing sight.
“There was a dead dog in the water there,” she said.
“It had a collar on and could have been a Staffordshire bull terrier but it looked like it had been in the water for some time. Luckily Lilly got out, but sadly, this other dog didn’t.”
Praising the fire crew who rescued her dog, she added “They were marvellous, I was so relieved.”
l Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, which has animal rescue teams, always recommend owners call them before attempting to rescue their pets themselves.
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