A Montrose family are celebrating an amazing escape for their pet spaniel after a plunge 60 feet from the top of a cliff.
Garry Stephen and his daughters Lisa (17) and Sophie (12) were walking their two cocker spaniels Glen and Angus at Lunan Bay when the accident happened.
Six-year-old Glen went chasing rabbits and he hurtled off the cliff edge at the north end of the beach.
“He had flushed out a rabbit and came speeding out after it when he fell,” said Lisa.
“It was just horrible. We heard the thump as he hit the beach and thought he had to be dead.
“But dad ran down and found him lying all curled up and crying. He had just missed hitting the rocks at the bottom.”
Garry continued, “Both my daughters saw Glen fall and, as you would expect, were horrified.
“I ran across fully expecting to find him dead as it was a huge drop. But he was still alive though in very bad shape.
“I picked him up, carried him the mile back to my car and took him to the Golf vet practice in Montrose.”PainGlen was given morphine to help with the pain, but tests showed he had a severely smashed pelvis.
The X-rays were sent to specialist vet John Ferguson at the East Neuk practice in Pittenweem.
Despite some concern, it was agreed treatment could be undertaken to try to save him.
He went through an operation to reconstruct his pelvis on Friday afternoon, and is making a recovery.
“Two metal plates have been inserted in his pelvis,” said Garry.
“He is expected to be with the vet in Fife for four weeks, before being allowed home.
“We’ve been told it will be at least four months before he can go for a walk again. But it is amazing he has survived at all and we are just so thankful.
“It looked like he might have to lose a leg due to nerve damage, and there had been the risk he wouldn’t wake up from the operation.
“But he is up and trying to walk already.”
The £4000 cost of the treatment might have seemed daunting but Lisa, her twin Aaron, Sophie and Murray (10) have all agreed to give up their holiday this year to help with the payment.