ISLE OF MAN (UK)
Apr 8, 2007

Talk about a bad hare day. A Jack Russell Terrier named "Nell" chased after a rabbit on Easter (Maundy) Thursday and ended up flying over the edge of a 150 ft. cliff.

Nell's guardian immediately called the Douglas Coastguard which dispatched a rescue team to the base of the cliff. To everyone's surprise, Nell was found completely unharmed. ¹

The cliff at Marine Drive, where the incident occurred, has seen its fair share of hare-seeking mutt missiles recently. In the past year, the Coastguard has been called on many rescues, including:

a deaf & blind Spaniel
a 15-year-old mutt
a 7-month old puppy

Elsewhere in the UK, last week the Coastguard rescued a Border Collie named "Ben" who fell 165 ft. while playing ball with his guardian. ²

(Hmm... playing ball with a dog on a cliff. Isn't that like playing water polo with your pet trout at Niagra Falls?)

Ben, who was travelling an estimated 70 mph when he hit, only injured his paw.


Marine Drive, Isle of Man (SABRE)

Ever wonder what a Jack Russell Terrier does with a rabbit once she's caught one? Why, she hugs him and squeezes him and pets him and calls him George. At least that's what happened in Australia according to the Sunday Telegraph, Apr 30, 2000.

When "Spotty", a Jack Russell in Jindera, NSW, found two newborn bunnies, she adopted them as her own. Spotty had recently given birth to puppies 3 months earlier, and her maternal instincts were still in high gear. In fact, the newcomers seemed to get preferential treatment.

The Telegraph reports, "Her pups actually stand by and watch as mum feeds the kittens or lets them roll all over her." ³

To read about other confused canine adoptions, see "Mutternal Instincts".