A family pet is making a good recovery after an Angus beach incident which could have brought heartbreak for her doting owners.
Miniature schnauzer Lucy snuffled up a broken piece of fishing line and two hooks from the sands at East Haven near her home, and only a precautionary X-ray revealed the potentially lethal angling leftovers which could have cost the seven-year-old dog her life.
Although now well on the mend after an operation to remove the items, Lucy’s owners, Andy and Stella Edward, say they hope the incident will serve as a warning to fishermen over the deadly hazard discarded hooks and line can cause. and act as a reminder to clear up after themselves.
The village coastline is a firm favourite with dog walkers, but also regularly attracts anglers from as far as Newcastle.
Mr Edward said Lucy was snuffling around in the seaweed when he saw her pull a piece of line and spotted a hook in her mouth.
“She wouldn’t let me in her mouth to begin with, but when I did get it open the hook had gone,” he added.
“I didn’t know if she had spat it out so when we got her home we phoned the vet and he said to bring her in for an X-ray.
“What I didn’t know was that she had already swallowed one hook, so if I had seen her spit the original hook out I might have never taken her to the vet.”
The X-ray revealed one hook with some bait on it already embedded in Lucy’s stomach wall and another in her intestine, which would have then started pulling against each other with potentially tragic consequences.
An emergency operation removed the hooks and line and although fragile since last weekend’s incident, Lucy is now recovering well and due to have the stitches removed from her six-inch wound this week.
Although covered by insurance, the worrying episode has also been a costly one for the couple who now face a four-figure vet’s bill.
The Edwards said discarded hooks and lines are a regular hazard on the coast near their home.
Mrs Edward added: “I don’t know if it’s down to thoughtlessness or ignorance on the part of the fishermen, but hopefully what has happened will encourage them to act more responsibly when disposing of fishing tackle.
“It is not only dogs that may suffer but seabirds and other animals, and they will likely endure long, painful deaths without attention.”