A frantic search across Studland Heath in Dorset for a missing dog called Ozzie, had a happy ending thanks to a multi-agency response from emergency services.
Ozzie disappeared while out for a walk with his owners, near the Little Sea lake, along with their other dog Woody, in the early evening of Thursday 9th October 2025.
Firefighters and coastguard teams from Swanage and Poole attended the incident on Studland Heath
Friends joined the night time search
At first, Alison Reynolds and her son Sam thought they would be able to find their much loved pets, but as time went on and the light began to fade, they started to worry.
Other people out for a stroll, stopped to help them look and posted on social media to keep an eye out for the dogs.
Friends hearing the news, drove to Studland to join in the search.
Getting to Ozzie stuck on an island in the middle of Little Sea proved more logistically challenging than first anticipated
“He could hear Ozzie crying”
Alison Reynolds said:
“We continued to search throughout the night, just getting about an hour of sleep in the car. We kept on hoping the dogs would return and then, thankfully, Woody turned up in the morning at about 8.30 am, but Ozzie was still nowhere to be found.
“By this time, loads of people had joined in the search, and then a woman said she thought she could hear a dog in distress. We tried to get nearer but it was in a swampy area around Little Sea.
“My son waded in a bit and said he could hear Ozzie crying but not see him. I went round the Knoll Beach side but couldn’t get any closer.
“Then someone said I had to call the coastguard but I wasn’t happy about that, as it was just a dog. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong!
“We were so impressed by how professional the response was from the coastguard and fire service teams and how kind they all were.”
Poole firefighters prove that it’s not just the RNLI who can do boat rescues!
Firefighters paddled out on a raft
Swanage Coastguard was the first to arrive but after assessment it was decided to call in the Poole Coastguard team who were more experienced and better trained in mud rescues.
When Poole Coastguard arrived, the team called in back up from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The firefighters from Poole used a raft to get to Ozzie stuck on a small island in the middle of Little Sea, and were able to bring him back safely to his delighted owners.
Ozzie is brought safely back to land and his grateful owners
“His best adventure yet!”
Alison said:
“I want to thank them all so much. I don’t know what we would have done without them. It really doesn’t bear thinking about.
“People kept saying that Ozzie might find his own way home but we live in Poole, so we weren’t confident he would be able to navigate the ferry!
“The good news is that Ozzie is now fine, although he slept for about two days afterwards. He’s only a year and a half old so it was his best adventure yet!”
Remote parts of Studland can be quite hazardous
“Never hesitate to call 999 and ask for the coastguard”
After the incident, Swanage Coastguard station officer Ian Brown said:
“If anyone finds themselves in similar circumstances, never hesitate to call 999 and ask for the coastguard. The water and mud around Little Sea can be hazardous, so don’t delay in contacting us.
“We’d rather be called out and then stood down, than end up rescuing people later.”
