These dramatic pictures show how coastguards performed a “miracle” rescue to save a stranded puppy after it plunged 40 ft off a cliff.
The six-month-old Rhodesian ridgeback, called Crouton, is believed to have fallen down the steep cliff after it failed to catch a rabbit.
Crouton landed a ledge which prevented the it from a further fall of 60 ft into the raging sea.
Shetland coastguard teams from Durness and Melness rushed to the incident at Durness, Highlands, at 2.59pm on Friday.
They were assisted by an officer from the Scottish SPCA who came from Wick to oversee the rescue which remarkably saw the pup make a safe and unscathed escape.
Witness Gordon Kerr, 54, a prison officer from Ayrshire, said: “I was walking around Smoo Cave when I heard a dog barking loudly.
“Originally I thought it was just a farmer’s dog. As I walked a bit further I could see the coastguard were setting up – initially thinking that it was a training exercise.
“When I asked a stranger what they thought was going on. He told me that he had been out walking his dog when it bolted for a rabbit and fell 40 feet.
“It luckily managed to land on a ledge.
“It’s a miracle that the dog survived. It had been down there for about three or four hours and fell down such a severe cliff but there wasn’t a scratch on the wee thing.
“When the dog came back up, it started jumping around, high-fiving its owner and asking for biscuits.”
A spokesman for Melness coastguard said: “The owner of the dog was extremely grateful for all the help provided by the Coastguard Teams and the SSPCA.
“It was a successful outcome with a happy ending, teams worked well together, resulting in a text book rope rescue.
“Be aware that if your dog is unfortunate enough to fall over or get stuck down a cliff, do not under any circumstances attempt a self rescue.
“Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard, we are trained to deal with these situations. If you are walking your dog on or near to cliffs please, please, please keep it on a lead.”