A man clung to his family pet as they huddled above the freezing waters of a Perthshire river during a dramatic rescue.
For about an hour, the 32-year-old held on to the dog, which had found itself in difficulty by the side of the fast-flowing River Garry, near Killiekrankie.
The pair were eventually helped to safety and into a Tayside Fire and Rescue inflatable launch, a little shaken but otherwise uninjured.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, near Garry Bridge, at about 1pm.
The man and his family had been walking at the popular beauty spot with the dog when it plunged over an embankment after a bouncing ball.
Perth station manager Paul Robertson from Tayside Fire and Rescue told the Courier: ”The gentleman entered the River Garry from the opposite bank to recover the dog.
”Once he’d done so, however, he decided that it would be unsafe to swim back with the dog and settled on to a ledge to await assistance.”
A 999 call from the man’s mother brought crews from Pitlochry, Dunkeld and Perth to the scene, together with a specialist water rescue team.
Once on the banks of the Garry, they were able to speak to the stranded man and then quickly rescue him and his dog from the water. They were helped from the ledge into a waiting fire service water rescue sled and he was soon returned safely to his family.
Staff from outdoor adventure company Nae Limits were also on hand to offer assistance from one of their own launches.
The man did not suffer an injury as a result of his ordeal and declined medical attention, while his dog also emerged unscathed, despite its plunge.
The gorge is hugely popular with holidaymakers and is visited throughout the summer months by walkers and cyclists. The bridge is home to Scotland’s first permanent bungee platform.
Parts of the gorge are rocky and steep-sided and a number of incidents have taken place in recent years as visitors have fallen foul of its rugged charms.
In 2005, a 14-year-old Glenrothes boy plunged more than 60ft down a rock face after overbalancing on his bike and tumbling down to rest on a rocky ledge.
Then in August 2008, a 67-year-old man had to be airlifted from the same location after he too overbalanced while out cycling and plunged 30ft from a path into the gorge.
Mr Robertson urged visitors to the popular spot to take care, particularly those with families.
”I would ask anyone who is enjoying the lovely countryside that this area offers to be aware that there can nonetheless be dangers in particular those accompanied by children and dogs,” he said.