Bilbo gets his reprieve

On the 20th of May last year I penned a piece about Bilbo, the Newfoundland dog, who had been banned from the beach at Sennen Cove in west Cornwall. Not sure whether they prohibit dogs there just in the summer months or all year round but Bilbo got the heave-ho even though he was only there because of his potential lifesaving capabilities. With their double coats and webbed feet the hardy Newfoundlands are well adapted to assist in rescuing people in the sea. The large friendly dog was very popular with locals and visitors before the RNLI, who have now got responsibility for safety on the beach at Sennen, decided that he had to also be banned.

The good news is that, following a petition, his lifeguard owner can carry Bilbo on his all terrain vehicle across the beach. A victory for commonsense. Hooray!

Bilbo banned from the beach

Beautiful Sennen Cove which is just about as far west in Cornwall you can go before falling into the Atlantic is one of many beaches which is subjected to a dog ban. However until recently one canine was (sort of) allowed to be there. Penwith District Council were responsible for lifeguard provision and Britain's one and only lifeguard dog, Bilbo, a Newfoundland weighing in at 14 stone was effectively a member of the team. Newfoundlands, with their powerful swimming ability and webbed feet, have been recognised as being useful lifesavers and five year old Bilbo was a familiar sight on the beach or more correctly sitting on the back of a quad bike if he wasn't in the sea.

Lifeguard patrols in Sennen and at some other beaches have been taken over by the RNLI and it is they who have taken him off the 'front line'. To be fair to them they are between a rock and a hard place because of their concern about such a massive dog being on the back of a quad bike, it's the old Health and Safety thing again. I'm not sure how this can all be resolved but it seems odd that the local council were relaxed about Bilbo being on the quad bike whilst the RNLI are concerned.

For a picture of Bilbo it's worth clicking here.