A COCKER spaniel has miraculously survived a 60ft fall at a concrete dam which resulted in needing to have an organ removed.
Two-year-old Darcy also fractured several bones after jumping over a five foot solid wall overlooking Glascarnoch Dam in the Highlands.
Her owner Wendy Lyon said it was an absolute “miracle” she survived the sheer drop.
Wendy and her husband Gordon had been travelling to Clachtoll Beach near Lochinver on holiday when the incident happened two weeks ago.
The couple from Kellas near Dundee stopped by the dam to let Darcy and their other five other dogs out for a walk when Darcy took the unexpected plunge.
Wendy said: “She jumped over a five foot plus wall for some reason, we have no idea why.
“We didn’t see her jump but we heard the impact as soon as she hit the bottom and then there was silence, which was just horrific.
“We then heard her screaming and didn’t think she would survive it.
“The other dogs were out in front and stopped and wouldn’t move on so they knew something had happened.
“We were 60ft above her and there was no way in to get her so we had to wait on the fire brigade coming from Ullapool.
“She just lay there on the concrete as it got colder and colder, slipping in and out of consciousness.”
Despite her life threatening injuries when fire crews arrived Darcy managed to lick and nuzzle into her rescuers faces while they pulled her to safety.
She was immediately taken to Cononvet Limited in Conon Bridge where vet, Hal Drummond discovered she had a ruptured spleen.
Her spleen was later removed during a life saving operation.
The lovable pooch also suffered fractures to her pelvis and legs as well as dealt with the pain of a collapsed lung.
Orthopaedic surgeons at Parkside Vets in Dundee, where Wendy works as a receptionist, saved one of Darcy’s front legs during her first operation.
She is currently heavily bandaged up while she awaits her second operation next week.
Wendy added: “She had quite a catalogue of injuries so we really weren’t sure she would pull through.
“She was in for a week as an inpatient on a drip and on painkillers then came home last weekend.
“She’s just been amazing. She will never be the same as she was but she has such grit and determination.
“Without all the staff at Cononvets and and all his staff at Parkside Vet Group she wouldn’t be here. We will be indebted to them forever.
“The police in Ullapool have regularly been in touch to check how she’s doing. We obviously lost the holiday, and the campsite we were going to have been in touch as well. It really is amazing.
“For everyone to rally around a small dog really restores your faith in humanity.”
