Former cop nudged by a bull shark in Sydney Harbour while saving family dog

FORMER police officer Ken Leacy reckons he is one lucky man after being “butt-kissed” by an apparent bull shark while trying to save the family Schnauzer from drowning in Sydney Harbour.

Former police officer Ken Leacy is one lucky man after being nudged by a bull shark after diving in to rescue his kids' shnauzer puppy Heidi on Christmas night. Pictured at Kendall Bay at Breakfast Point where he jumped into the Parramatta River to rescue Heidi. Picture: Jonathan Ng

FORMER police officer Ken Leacy reckons he is one lucky man after being “butt-kissed” by an apparent bull shark while trying to save the family Schnauzer from drowning in Sydney Harbour.

After having eaten way too much on Christmas night, the Mortlake father-of-two decided to take the family’s new puppy Heidi for an evening harbourside walk.

But the six-month-old dog darted off into the night and fell from the breakwall near Breakfast Point.

After rescuing the distressed dog, Mr Leacy felt “something” headbutt him from behind.

“She just went over and disappeared into the water,” Mr Leacy said.

“I thought, oh no, she’s going to drown.

“I really didn’t have a choice but to jump in as it’s the family dog and the kids would have been devastated.

“I was having some difficulty climbing up and was yelling for help when I got a huge nudge in my butt, which pushed me up against the walls.

“It was so forceful that I cut myself on the oyster shells on the wall.”

Ken Leacy with his wife Janet and children Jake, 6 and Audrey, 4, at Breakfast Point, where he was nudged by a bull shark while saving their family dog, Heidi. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Leacy’s cries for help attracted the attention of two passers-by who called Burwood police — his former command — while pulling him up the wall.

The Concord RSL duty manager said police claimed the nudge was “more than likely” to have been from a bull shark, which frequent Sydney Harbour.

“The police gave Heidi and I a ride in the paddy wagon before I had to explain to my wife what had happened,” he said.

According to NSW Department of Primary Industries shark biologist Dr Amy Smoothey who has been tagging Sydney Harbour bull sharks, the species tended to swim down from the tropics in November and December before heading back north in April.

Mr Leacy said he did not see what had nudged him, but was counting his blessing anyway.

“It’s not every day you get butt-kissed by a bull shark,” he said.

Originally published as Former cop nudged by a bull shark in Sydney Harbour while saving family dog