This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mollet

Alex Hubert, 11, and sister Emily, 9, cuddle Border collie Jed, the family’s rescue dog, who needed rescuing again yesterday when a cliff-base scramble with owner Jean-Paul Hubert almost ended in disaster. Completing the welcome-home group is mum Laura Hubert. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0546182)

A dog had to be rescued from the south coast cliffs yesterday.

Black and white Border collie Jed, 6, and house husband owner Jean-Paul Hubert, 32, had used a little-known path to get to the foot of cliffs between La Corbiere and La Prevote.

‘We go down there all the time. I went round the corner and realised he was missing. He was stuck in a crevice,’ said Mr Hubert, who lives in St Andrew’s. ‘I don’t know how he got up there – he scrambled up but could not scramble down. I told him to stay there. He was pretty disturbed at first but calmed down when I got near. He was about 30ft or 40ft up and the position he had got into there was a sheer drop. I feared for his life.’

Mr Hubert said he was indebted to the rescue team and promised to make a donation to the Ambulance and Rescue Service to help meet their costs.

‘I’m over the moon. I’m relieved and the kids are happy because they heard about it. Many thanks to the St John guys,’ he said.

‘He is a rescue dog from the GSPCA and when he gets into a pickle he gets nervous.’

Ambulance and Rescue Service assistant staff officer John Atkins, who monitored the operation from the top of cliffs on La Corbiere side, said: ‘For whatever reason the dog ran up the cliff and got stuck.’

Mr Atkins spoke to the dog owner by mobile phone after the call-out at 10.25am. The dog was in a relatively precarious position down the cliffs.

‘It’s been quite an awkward rescue because of the lack of anchors,’ he said.

Natural anchors, including trees, were used to enable rescue sub-officer Steve Domaille to abseil down to the animal, with a cliff rescue team above ensuring the operation ran smoothly.

‘Steve had to set up a number of secondary anchors on the way down,’ said Mr Atkins.

‘The weather conditions have made it near straightforward.’

‘However, the particular location the dog ended up in did make the rescue slightly more complex and all the more challenging for Steve the rescuer,’ he said.

‘As a general piece of advice to dog walkers, if the dog does run off and gets itself into difficulties call us and we will help. Don’t put yourself at risk.’

The dog was eventually rescued at 12.09pm and rescuer, owner and dog made their way back to the top of cliffs via a pathway.

Article posted on 6th March, 2008 - 1.00pm