Real-time Earth and Moon phase

Saturday, May 23, 2009

A lucky dog rescued from freaque wave

A JACK russell terrier swept into the ocean at Currumbin by a freak wave on Friday was fighting for her life after a dramatic rescue in which a man performed CPR on the stricken animal.

Tugun resident Hilary Smith was walking her 11-year-old pet Betty Boo off the leash on the beach about 1.45pm on Friday when the wave struck.

"I wasn't near the sea ... there was a freak wave, then it was right up to my chest," she said.

"(Betty Boo) flipped backwards and disappeared out to sea."

She had to feel her way through thick foam for five minutes to locate her white dog which was not breathing when she found it.

She rushed to shore where Currumbin Surf Club director and off-duty surf lifesaver Dave Smith ran to meet her.

He took the dog from her and performed CPR on Betty Boo.

After 10 minutes the dog started to breathe and was taken to a nearby veterinary clinic.

Ms Smith said Betty Boo was fighting for her life.

"The only thing she has going for her is she's a fighter," she said.

"Don't go on to the beach. I didn't show respect for the sea."

We all know whipped cream, but I never realized the nearshore sea can be whipped up into cream also. May be only in the Gold Coast. What had happened in this story? Well, "I wasn't near the sea ... there was a freak wave, then it was right up to my chest" certainly leaves no room for skeptcism. That's a freaque wave all right, regardless what really happened there. Only that no scientist can define or explain it otherwise to any degrees of satisfaction. It just happened. I can't quite visualize how to perform CPR on a dog. But that was a lucky dog to be rescued. Yes, Ms Smith has the right mind-set: "Show respect for the sea!"