The sheep had fallen into the water and had managed to scramble back up to the cliff ledge, but was still trapped in a deep gully.

The alarm was raised by a group of fishermen who spotted the sheep in trouble just after 4pm. A kayaker who was in the same location managed to assist in the rescue and helped RNLI members to move the sheep into the kayak, before putting her into the lifeboat.

The animal was then taken to Leenan beach, where she was handed back to her farmer. The sheep in question has now fully recovered from her ordeal and is back grazing in the field.

It could easily have been a human drowning

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, volunteer lifeboat press officer at Lough Swilly RNLI Joe Joyce said the lifeboat was launched for three reasons.

“Firstly, it was the right thing to do, as the animal was in distress; secondly, the rescue was a good training exercise for RNLI members – the sheep could easily have been a human drowning – and, finally, if the fire service had been called, it would have put the firemens’ lives in danger.”

Joe said the RNLI are seeing an increase in the number of people who enter the water in order to save drowning animals, putting their own lives in danger. “An incident such as this rescue raises awareness of such events and shows the possible dangers of entering the water,” he concluded.

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