Dog Daily News

Twinnie, a German Shepherd, fell backwards off a cliff. He is undoubtedly happy to be alive, but he looks very humiliated.

Over the weekend, British rescue crews had to save two dogs who managed to fall off major cliffs in Scotland and England. These weren’t ordinary dogs with no common sense, like our Zulu. One was a German Shepherd. The other was a Collie of some undetermined vintage.

What is the world coming to when the Rin-Tin-Tins and Lassies are the ones doing making the clumsy moves? Who will be there if Timmy falls down the well? Who will save the day against enemy troops?

Rin Tin Tin was a rescuer, not a rescuee. This only adds to Twinnie's embarrassment.

Twinnie, who is 5, was apparently out for a walk with his brand-new people by some cliffs in Scotland. He was almost back to their car when he bolted. (It’s not easy getting new people when you’re 5.) When they caught up with him, he backed over the cliffs and landed 65 feet below, in the sea, barely missing rocks, according to a BBC story.

Coastguard and police came out and did a “sterling job” rescuing him, says Twinnie’s new person, Andy Finlay. “He was absolutely terrified, but otherwise fine,” says Andy. “He seems very happy now.”

We're sure if this was a closeup of Jack, he would look just as embarrassed as Twinnie

Meanwhile, down the great island a bit, it took English rescuers two days to save Jack the Collie, who had fallen a third of the way down a 100-foot cliff and landed on a grassy ledge. Jack is 9, and the weather was “atrocious,” according to another BBC story. That could not have been fun for the old guy.

Fellow Collie (of another make and model) Lassie points down the cliff. "Please, keep your dogs on leashes near the edges of these cliffs," s/he says via her hypnotic, clairvoyant look.

“…when the coastguard rescue officer reached the ledge, Jack was more than eager to be rescued and gave him a very warm welcome,” said coastguard watch manager Allan Norman.

So enough raining dogs. People, keep your dogs on a leash when you’re near a cliff’s edge. In this world, we need all the Lassies and Rin Tin Tins we can get…