Dog Aids Owner’s River Escape After Fall

A woman, who managed to exit a river with her dog’s assistance, recounted her belief that she would not survive the incident. Melanie Buchanan was walking her dog, Symphony, beside the River Derwent in Malton on 9 October when Symphony fell into the water, and Ms Buchanan subsequently slipped in herself while attempting to assist her pet. While the Portuguese water dog managed to climb out, Ms Buchanan stated she remained in the water for an hour until Symphony approached closely enough for her to grasp its harness and pull herself to safety. Ms Buchanan stated, “She saved my life for sure, I wouldn’t have got out of there without her.” Ms Buchanan, a resident of Norton, explained that the water initially reached her knees before the ground beneath her gave way. She described the experience, stating, “The ground kept sinking below me and I ended up going in above my head.” She recounted beginning to panic because the riverbank was “continually collapsing, there was nothing to grip onto.” She added, “I thought I was going to die.” Ms Buchanan reported having been in the water for over an hour when Symphony, her two-year-old dog, approached the water’s edge and remained stationary. She explained that she was then able to embed her feet into the mud and grip her dog’s harness, which facilitated her exit from the river. Ms Buchanan described Symphony’s actions, stating that her “bravery was just incredible and something that I could never forget.” Portuguese water dogs are historically recognized for their role in assisting fishermen by herding fish into nets and transporting messages between vessels.