Coastguard rescues sick dog

The coastguard was called out yesterday to rescue a sick dog in the Hauraki Gulf.

The dog's owner, Peter Watson, had been sailing his yacht on the upper-east coast of the North Island, when his dog became sick.

With no wind to set sail and knowing the boat's engine would not be able to get to land quickly enough from where it was anchored at Motuketekete Island, Mr Watson called on the coastguard to get Charlie, a three-year-old mastiff-cross, to help.

The Hibiscus coastguard vessel met the yacht mid-sea, just south of Kawau Island, from where Charlie was rushed 18km back to Orewa Beach.

The group was met on the beach by a vet, who found Charlie to have an ulcerated eye requiring surgery.

Coastguard duty officer Mark Leevers said dog rescues were uncommon, and that Mr Watson, as a former coastguard member, would escape paying the rescue charges.

- NZPA