Iso Survived 160ft Mine Shaft Fall Radnor Cornwall

Iso saved by Firefighters after falling down a 160ft Mine Shaft

Brian Saunders dog 'Iso' escapes after falling 160ft down a disused mine shaft and being lost for 24 hours.Brian had been playing a round of golf at Radnor in Cornwall when his dog bolted into some bushes.Mr Saunders and friends scoured the area but Iso remained undiscovered until the next day when his barking was heard from the mine.
Iso escaped with a minor cut to his head and a "dented muzzle", but was in "good spirits" said rescuers.Continue reading the main storyStart QuoteFirefighters were alerted after Sprocker spaniel Iso was heard the next day by a man living nearby.They said Iso could have been knocked unconscious by the fall, which was why he was not found earlier.A firefighter abseiled down the shaft to a ledge where Iso lay. They said he was winning and wagging his tail to see his saviour.Commander Dave Carlisle, of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It made our day when we found him." He said the shaft had thick undergrowth around it.Retired pharmacist Mr Saunders, from Falmout,h said: "It was a miracle when he came out."I'm very proud of him."“Mr Saunders took ownership of his pet after Iso failed to become a police sniffer dog. He said a police handler had found Iso's first interest was hunting, not retrieving.
"It was his enthusiasm that got the better of him, but he will be on a lead in the future."

Full Story can be found on BBC News at this link.

Last Day Of Cornish Beach Summer Dog Ban

Can you tell I am a little excited, today is the last day of the Cornish Beach Summer Dog Ban.
From 1st October you will be allowed to take your dog on the beach at any time of the day.... freedom!

You will normally see notices at the start of beaches like the one below, but sometimes they are not completely up to date.  For all up to date information on which beaches dogs are allowed on please see the Cornwall Council Web Page on Beaches.

Cornwall Councils Sign For Dog Owners photo taken at Gwithian

I was really pleased to hear that St Ives Town Council has received over 1000 responses to their consultation about the potential complete dog ban to their beaches, the results will be out at the end of October 2012.  I think there are a lot of dogs sat at home with their paws crossed as I type about the out come.

I do understand that not everyone likes dogs, however I do feel that with responsible dog owners making sure that your dogs do not interfere, upset others and of course scoop that poop that we can all share the fun in enjoying our beautiful coastlines.

I hope you all enjoy walking your dogs along the beach this winter, I know I certainly will!

Count down to run free

It's nearly that time of year that us dog owners look forward to..... it's nearly time we can walk on the beaches without worrying about what time it is.

 Most beaches in Cornwall with bans during the summer months only allow dogs from 7pm to 7am, so either its a mad dash in the early morning to get a good walk before 7am or a late one.  I know Jem is far too eager to wait that long for a good walk in the evenings.

 From the 1st October most beaches with bans allows our four legged friends to run free at any time. Woo Hoo.  This has to be one of my favourite all time things to do on a cold day, wrap up warm and go for a long walk with the sea air and wind in both mine and Jems hair.

It is so funny to watch dogs run free on our beaches especially if there is a bit of wind, they run crazy and I feel they really enjoy the freedom and meeting other dog walkers. I am so excited about walking on the beaches, and I know Jem can't wait.  I look forward to see many of you fellow dog walkers on the beach.

 Though it's a great time for us we need to appreciate that not everyone loves dogs, so please bear this in mind especially those with children. This is not only for the people's sake but also we never know how our dogs will react to different situations. Oh and don't forget to scoop that poop!

Before you set off  you can check the dog bans on beaches on this web page Cornwall Council Beaches in Cornwall, where you can check out the main beaches.

Freedom to RUN on the Cornish Beaches

There are often concerns that some beaches might be banned completely from dogs in the future and I personally would hate this to happen.

In the press recently there has been stories about St Ives Beaches which might be banned to any animals all the time. Disaster (in a Strictly Judge kind of speak). 
A group of residents have formed called St Ives Dog Owner Group are trying to combat this.
Here are links to the story on the ITV WestCountry and This is Cornwall.

Currently there is a consultation about the ban and walking dogs in St Ives- which actually ends today (28th September 2012) so please be quick to respond if you wish to .  The link to the consultation is here.
Fingers crossed it works out that there is no full ban.

Don't forget if any of you or a member of your family need the use of wheel chairs or help with getting around you can still join in the beach dog walk fun by using a sand chair which are located around Cornwall's beaches for full details see Disability Cornwall.

I hope that the weather stays well so at least we can enjoy some time down on the beach with our four legged friends.  Have fun and I will see you at the beach.

Dog Stop at Asda

Popping into Asda with a dog is made much easier with their 'Dog Stop'.

Often disabled people and parents are the pure focus for customer care but I was impressed when I popped into Asda at St Austell recently by its approach to looking after our dogs while we are shopping.  

Asda at St Austell Pet/ Dog Stop

Asda St Austell now offers a Dog Stop with shade, water and a chain to tie your dog up while you visit the store.  

I was really touched by the care and attention that had been put into us dog owners, who are concerned leaving our best friends in our cars in hot days.

Personally I would be a little worried about anyone stealing my dog while I shopped being tied up there for any period of time however I really praise these efforts. 

Have you seen any other great dog facilities in Cornwall?

Let us know and we can do a review about them.

Good bye Loved Ones

The last few weeks has made me really think about that sad time when we lose our best friends, especially as Ben Fogle's Inca has recently been in the news.

Ben's tweet just en-captured it all for me "Thanks for all your kind messages. It's hard to describe or define the emotional bond you have with your dog. It's like losing your shadow."

Only dog owners will know the pain of making that decision to say goodbye to our best friend.  We always know it will happen but there is nothing that really prepares us for the shock.

Time waits for neither man nor dogs, and one of the brutal truths of the natural order is that man outlives most other species.  

We lost my parents dog a few years ago, which was the hardest thing.  I can remember picking her up in my arms as a puppy, her snuggling into my neck for comfort on the way home. How those amazing 16years past so quickly and then all of a sudden we found ourselves with the worst decision any dog owner/lover has to make.

When is the right time to say goodbye?
There is no right time to say goodbye, but as a dog owner you will know when it is time.  The decision should never be made lightly and it should be the most serious decision you ever have to make.

One thing that outrages me when people just take their dogs to the vets to have them put to sleep for no reason, my pet hate is that they have to move house and they simply can't take their dog or they have just had a baby so have to get rid of their dog.  To me when you have a dog it should be part of your family not to be thrown away when your life changes.

Should you be there or not?
I wish i could have had the guts to stay with our dog right up to the very end, but I just couldn't I wanted to have our last memory cuddling in our front room.  The hardest thing for me was to walk out of our front room knowing that I would never see those eyes, worn paw pads, lovely fully fur or that wag of the tail again. Our vet came out to our home had put her to sleep while we waited in the kitchen.  I am not saying this was the right thing to do but you have to do what is right for your dog and you.

What to do with her body?
Gosh what a decision to make.  I took the decision not to see her body as I wanted to remember our last hug that will last forever.   The vet took her body for us and we arranged to have a solo cremation.  I wanted to have her ashes back home and it was a family decision to scatter her ashes on her favourite walk.  Please be careful if you decide to do this as there are laws about scattering ashes.

Rainbow Bridge...
A little while ago a friend introduced me to Rainbow Bridge a beautiful poem that gives hope that we will one day be reunited with our best friends when we pass.  This makes things a little hopeful but in a weird way makes me less scared about dying as I know I will be reunited with my best friends once again.  Now that is what I call Heaven!

I am writing this blog while my Jem is snuggled up to my leg, I really can't even bring myself to think about the day I will have to say goodbye to her.  One thing is for certain I will enjoy every day and  moment I have with her.

This blog post was written a few weeks ago since then I have lost a dear friend in a car accident along with her two dogs....  I can't believe how sad it has been but hope that they are all together enjoying what ever there might be on the other side.  Run free dear friends.

Cornish Adder bites increasing in dogs

Over the last few days I have heard of three dogs being bitten by Adders in Cornwall, mainly at Gwithian Towans. This is strange as there has been a lot of rain recently however the temperature is relatively high which is probably the reason why the adders are coming out.


It is really important to be safe while walking your dogs during this period as the majority of adders bite between March and October.

What do Adders look like?
They have black zigzags down their backs. The pattern resembles a shadow cast by a fern, which is why a lot of dogs don't see them. Adders have bright red eyes, and because they don't have eyelids they can't blink.

What to do if your dog has been bitten?
If a bite has occurred, the area will become swollen and very painful, usually within 30 minutes. Dogs may become restless or depressed after being bitten by an adder, as well as vomiting and collapsing.


Any dog that has sustained an adder bite should be kept well hydrated and kept as calm as possible, to try to stop the poison spreading throughout their body. If you can carry your dog to your car or perhaps move the car closer to the dog if possible and take directly to your or the closest vets.

It is important if you think your dog has been bitten by an adder, you should take your dog direct to a vet as adder bites can be fatal.

Steps to walk safe with your dog to avoid Adders

• Keep away from towans or anywhere there are likely to be snakes in hot weather.
  Adders often live in a variety of open spaces.  In the hot weather as the adders enjoy basking in the sun, which is often when dogs get inquisitive and get bitten.

• Walk early in morning or late at night to avoid hot temperatures.

• If there are areas that you can't avoid that are likely to have snakes keep your dogs on the lead.

If you have any tips on avoiding Adders or comments please let us know, we want to help other dog owners avoid this terrible experience.

Beautiful Dog Walk on The Camel Trail with no cars

A little gem to find is the Camel Trail a 18 mile multi-use route perfect for a nice long dog walk with beautiful views.

We recently did the 5 mile trail from Wadebridge to Padstow, it is very flat and the views are amazing looking over the Camel Estuary. What is really great about this part of the trail is that there are no roads to cross until you get to the town.

During the 5 mile trip there is no shops en-route so would advise to take a drink (for you and your dog) and a snack/ tip bit just in case you need a sugar rush.

It was really nice to get to Padstow for a well deserved fish and chips and a sit down to watch the harbour and to have a look around the small town which has some lovely shops. It is a bit of a shame that the town has so many ventures run by one famous person's business as it really does feel they are taking over, but look hard for the one off shops they are lovely and well worth a visit.

The trail can get very busy at weekends and holiday periods, mostly there seem to be walkers and cyclists. So be prepare to dodge the bikes with you dog if you go in the busy periods.

The trail is open to walkers, cyclists and horse riders, runs from Bodmin through to Padstow in North Cornwall following the disused railway line once used by the London and South West Railway.

At Bodmin yet another line, one of the most historic in the country, winds its way inland to the foot of Bodmin Moor where it comes to an end near Blisland, an extraordinarily pretty moorland village.



The code of conduct for the trail says to keep your dogs under close control so that they do not cause damage to adjoining private land, livestock, the river & its wildlife.

As it is flat it is mostly suitable for disabled access as well. 

Please be careful with some of the route as there are areas where you need to cross roads so make sure your four legged friends are under control.

For full information of the trail please look at Cornwall Councils website, which also has a useful downloadable leaflet of the whole trail.

I hope to explore the Camel Trail more over the coming months as its a great place. It would be great to hear any experiences you have had along the Camel Trail.