A golden retriever in the U.K. narrowly avoided tragedy after being swept out to sea, prompting a dramatic rescue by a lifeboat crew off Newton Beach in Porthcawl, Wales.
On February 1, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) responded to an emergency call after Seren, a three-year-old rescue dog, bolted from her owners and ran straight into the waves. A bystander and the dog’s owners, Andrea and Richard, attempted to catch her but were unsuccessful as the powerful tidal current carried her nearly 300 meters (900 feet) offshore.
Footage shared by the RNLI shows the exhausted retriever paddling in deep waters, her leash still attached, as the rescue crew pulls her aboard their lifeboat. “Hello, little girl,” one crew member is heard saying gently as they lift the shaken but unharmed dog to safety.
Seren had been adjusting to her new home for just five weeks before the incident. Andrea told Talker News that the retriever was among the most traumatized dogs she had ever rescued. She believes the sound of their car beeping startled Seren, causing her to bolt across the dunes and into the ocean.
Despite their efforts to retrieve her, the strong current carried Seren farther out to sea. A concerned bystander urged Andrea to contact the Coast Guard, leading to the RNLI’s swift response. Chris Missen, a representative from Porthcawl RNLI, confirmed that Seren was found quickly and recovered without injury.
Following the rescue, RNLI officials advised pet owners to keep dogs on leashes near fast-moving water and to seek professional assistance rather than attempting a rescue themselves.
“It was a heartwarming ending for our first rescue of the year,” Missen said. “Always call for help instead of entering the water after a pet—you could end up in danger too.”