Miracle as missing dog found on cliff edge on Donegal island 15 days after she vanished
Mali, a Bernese Mountain dog who has been visiting Ireland with her German owners, was feared dead after it was thought she ran off a cliff on Arranmore Island
A dog which went missing on an island off the coast of Donegal more then two weeks ago has been found safe and well, located alive and well, clinging to a cliff edge.
Mali, a Bernese Mountain dog vanished on August 16, after slipping her lead while being walked near the lighthouse on Arranmore Island in Co Donegal.
Her German owner Sarah Recinos Ralda, who was visiting Ireland on holiday with her family, said the dog had been spooked by high winds and despite endless searches their hopes of finding her alive had all but gone.
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That was until two weeks later on Saturday afternoon when Mali was heard barking by Michael Boyle who was sailing around the island on a pleasure boat. He raised the alarm and skipper John Paul Baskin of North West Charters cut the engine to try to hear the barking and locate the area it was coming from, Belfast Live report.
Like everyone else on the island, they knew Mali was missing, but could hardly believe their eyes when they spotted the eight-stone dog on rocks with the sea crashing 200 feet below.
John Paul told Donegal Daily: “It was a very good day and we decided to go around the island for a bit of fishing. Nobody would have been around that part of the island for a while because of the poor weather recently.
“One of the lads, Michael Boyle, said he thought he heard a dog barking and I thought he was having us on because we all knew everyone was looking for Mali.
“He said he was serious and we turned off the engine and we could hear the barking clearly. It was hard to spot her because she is black and the cliffs are dark and it was only because of the small patch of white on her chest that we could see her.
“Everyone got so excited and I radioed Malin Head straight away and then headed around to the pier to see the dog.”
John Paul’s message to the Malin Head Coastguard Station was the first anyone else knew of the discovery, and a member of the public who heard the call out made his way to the area in hopes he could reach Mali.
Within an hour Mali had been taken to the top of the cliff and was then put on John Paul’s boat with colleague Padraig Lawlor looking after her, and they sailed to the mainland to meet Sarah, her husband David and their four very excited children, who had been staying in a holiday home Kincasslagh.
The family had been due to leave Ireland in a few days to go home to Germany, but Sarah said the idea of leaving without Mali was awful.
But then they received the miracle news in a phone call on Saturday evening that Mali was not only safe, but that she was in good spirits and at around 10pm the family was reunited.
Sarah said: “It is incredible. Mali has been found and saved from the cliffs below the lighthouse by a group of amazing people. She’s not dehydrated, she is pretty alert and has lost a little bit of weight and overall just seems very hungry.
"We still can’t believe it and are overwhelmed. We will get her seen by a vet and let everyone know how she is doing as soon as she is checked. Thank you to everyone who helped us search for Mali, who shared our calls for help and who supported us and of course to Michael Boyle who heard her barking and to John Paul Baskin who raised the alarm."
Sarah said their dream holiday turned to nightmare when Mali vanished. She explained: “We'd been in Ireland for about a week and had been exploring Arranmore on August 16 when it happened. We had underestimated the winds at the lighthouse. Mali was on her leash but escaped us and due to the strong winds a recall was in vain. She never returned.
“We were not sure if someone picked her up or what could have happened and we went through so many possibilities but we hoped she was still alive."
Dozens of searches took place for Mali and a drone was sent to access challenging areas of the island’s rugged cliff face but there was no sign of the family dog.
Sarah said: “We worried that she had fallen off the cliff and was on a ledge but it seems so unlikely because most surrounding cliffs were searched already from the top and with binoculars and nothing. No barking was ever heard. With all our power and strength we hoped for the best but prepared for the worst.”
And the family’s despair turned to joy when a faint barking was heard on August 31 and finally, Mali was spotted.
Sarah’s initial thoughts were confirmed; Mali had slipped off the cliff side but had become lodged on a wide ledge with her lead snared on rock, trapping her in place, keeping her secure.
A member of the public who initially heard the radio call to Malin Head Coastguard Station made his way to the ledge where Mali was patiently waiting.
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