Baywatch dog back on patrol in Cornwall

Fans of Baywatch are used to seeing fit, toned and tanned bodies running in slow motion on the beach to save someone in distress in the sea. Visitors to a beach in Cornwall however are used to a more ‘hairy’ sight running up and down the beaches, and no, we don’t mean David Hasselhoff.

A beach in Cornwall is more used to seeing Bilbo, a Newfoundland, leaping into action to save people. However, Bilbo was recently banned from saving lives on the beach amid fears over health and safety.

The problem is that dogs have been banned from the beach, and this includes Bilbo, a lifeguard on the beach. However Bilbo has been reinstated to his duties after locals and tourists signed a petition for the dog’s return.

Bilbo has managed to get around the ban by classing himself as a working dog, as working dogs are exempt from dog bans. Should Bilbo have set one paw on the beach while he was banned he would have landed his owner, lifeguard Steve Jamieson, a £75 fine, even if Bilbo had been saving someone’s life.

Thankfully political correctness has seen sense, and thanks to 1,500 people Bilbo can begin saving lives again.

Newfoundland’s make excellent rescue dogs at sea because of their double coat, which allows them to repel water. They also have webbed paws.

Darren Jamieson