FAIRYTALE ENDING: Dog rescued in Spain turns rescuer to save man’s life in the UK

IN a story straight off the pages of a Disney script, a Costa Almeria rescue dog has become a rescuer, helping to save a man’s life.
Brodie, an Amethyst Dog Rescue success story, was with his new owners Alex Keegan and Daun Ferguson for his first time on their boat berthed at Largs Yacht Haven on the Clyde last weekend when in the early hours of Sunday morning the canny pet sensed that something was seriously amiss. A man had fallen into the water and was in trouble. His cries for help were too faint to stir Alex and Daun, but Brodie’s sharp ears did pick them up.
Brodie set to running around the boat and barking until he’d woken up his new mum and dad. They assumed one of the many noises from the wind or the movement of the boat had spooked him, but he refused to calm down until Alex got out of bed.
Only then could Alex hear the shouting, and when he opened up the hatch he realised someone was in the water and in distress. Another man had heard the cries and rushed to his assistance, but he couldn’t pull him out the water on his own. Alex leapt into action, and the two of them managed to drag him onto a pontoon.
If Brodie hadn’t done his bit this story might not have had such a happy ending. As Alex told the Euro Weekly News, “Without Brodie I would not have been there, and who knows what the outcome would have been.
“I am very proud of him, and only realised just how big a part he had played in the whole train of events after I finally returned to our boat and saw the wee look of concern on his face.”
It turned out the chap in the water had been making his way back to his boat after a meal ashore and had lost his footing on a pontoon. On a December night in Scotland the water was obviously freezing, and Alex said by the time they got him onto dry land the poor man was chilled to the bone.
Thanks to Brodie and his two human rescuers, he survived the experience safe and well, a long hot shower and warm clothes enough to fully revive him, the only thing injured his pride. He was however very grateful to all his rescuers, Alex joking he’d wanted to buy everyone a pint, Brodie included.
Brodie along with his five brothers and sisters was abandoned here on the Costa Almeria as a pup. He was fostered by Jean Allsop for Amethyst Dog Rescue and homed in Airdrie in Scotland with Alex and Daun just a month or so ago after they saw his picture on Facebook and decided he was definitely the dog for them. Brodie has now more than proved his life was worth saving and that he really is man’s best friend.
“Brodie is a brilliant boy”, says Alex, “and he is very much in his forever home!”

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Written by

Cathy Elelman

Cathy Elelman is the local writer for the Costa de Almeria edition of the Euro Weekly News.

Based in Mojacar for the last 21 years, Cathy is very much part of the local community and is always well and truly up on all the latest news and events going on in this region of Spain.

Her top goals are to do the best job she can informing the local English-speaking community, visitors to the area and the wider world about about the news in Almeria, to learn something new every day, and to embrace very new challenge this fast-changing world brings her way.

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