Dog rescued after swimming almost one kilometre to island off NSW coast

A dog who was swept onto an island almost one kilometre from the NSW South Coast has been rescued by a crew of volunteers who raced into action after receiving several distress calls from worried onlookers.

Emergency calls were made after the dog was spotted by Batemans Bay locals in the waters off Observation Point on Monday afternoon, triggering the deployment of Marine Rescue volunteers from the South Coast town.

A rescue vessel and jetski was trawling through local waters when the volunteers spotted the dog on Snapper Island, a one-hectare oval-shaped island four kilometres from the Batemans Bay township.

Two volunteers aboard a Marine Rescue jetski arrived at a small cove on the island, spending almost an hour coaxing the dog into their grasp before safely retrieving it.

The animal was loaded onto the back of the ski, and fastened by one of the rescuers as it travelled to the main rescue vessel stationed off the island.

The dog was loaded onto the main vessel before disembarking at Marine Rescue’s Batemans Bay base, where it was handed to council rangers for further care.

The dog is yet to be reunited with its owner, who hasn’t come forward since the rescue. Council workers are trying to find the owner, which will include checking if the dog is microchipped.

The outcome of the rescue mission could have been far different if it weren’t for the calm, sunny conditions the volunteer crew enjoyed on Monday, according to Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Glenn Sullivan.

“The dog was fortunate to have reached Snapper Island, and equally fortunate that sea conditions were exceptionally calm at the time of the incident,” Sullivan said.

“We are hopeful the rangers will be able to reunite the dog with its owner as soon as possible.”

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