Doggy drama as gardener & puppy saved by riverboat crew

Putney labradoodle Jess jumped from her garden wall in Deodar Road in to the Thames wearing her plastic cone from the vet. She was quickly followed by Brixton based gardener Julie Wylie who was working in the garden, who only took a minute to take off her shoes!

Miss Wylie, told the Evening Standard:
"I had no hesitation about jumping in. I took off my shoes and jumped down six feet. When I got in I tried to hang onto plants on the side of the wall but the tide was really strong and all the bushes just pulled off when I tried to grab them."

With nothing to hold on to Julie tried to keep Jess above water whilst treading water to keep them both afloat. It took about ten minutes for the pair to be noticed by the crew of a passing Putney to Blackfriars riverbus who steered towards them and second-mate Joe Wiltshire could throw a rope to Ms Wylie.

A Port of London rescue boat had been called and with the help of the crew of the riverbus hauled the two from the water.


Julie was checked over before returning to the house on Deodar Rd shoeless and soaking wet to fix additional fencing of chicken wire to stop Jess repeating her dangerous dive before whe went home!

July 17, 2014