French bulldog saved from drowning by cockapoo in hot tub incident

The grit and determination of a little dog to save his "wee mate" from potentially drowning in a hot tub has been praised.

Harley the french bulldog got into trouble after falling into the tub at the Ballynahinch home on August 11.

Owner Stephen Davidson said he would have drowned had it not been for the family's pet cockapoo Lottie alerting them.

The entire incident was caught on the family's CCTV camera.

Stephen told UTV: "It was like something out of a movie."

"We were away on holiday and I got a phone call from my daughter explaining what happened.

"I thought I would look up the CCTV to watch it."

Five-year-old Harley had been sleeping on top of the hot tub lid which had not been closed properly when it began to cave in.

He fell into the water and soon became distressed trying to get out.

That is the moment when 12-week old Lottie came to the rescue.

Stephen said the puppy could clearly tell Harley was in distress: "Looking at the CCTV footage, you could see Lottie was in a panic.

"She was running around in circles and you could see her wee face thinking 'what can I do to help you?'

Lottie then alerted Stephen's daughter Eva to the danger and she was able to pull Harley out of the water.

Stephen says Lottie has been the flavour of the month ever since and has been rewarded with a few good treats after her good behaviour.

"It is a great ending, it is like something out of a movie, it just shows the grit and determination of that dog (Harley) to try and stay alive and Lottie to save her wee mate."

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