Nanaimo rope team rescues frantic terrier stuck on ledge
'He was pretty cold, really tired,' says rescuer of dog who went over embankment during walk
A Nanaimo search and rescue team has reunited a very happy dog with a very happy owner after a harrowing trip over a cliff.
The terrier named Benson was out for a walk near the Vancouver Island city on Wednesday when he chased after something in the bushes.
The dog ended up going over a steep ledge, and got stuck.
A team from Nanaimo SAR was called to help.
"When we got there the dog was actually howling and crying and we felt quite badly for him. He was obviously distressed," said president Carly Trobridge.
"The actual embankment is fairly steep, very mossy, so quite slippery," she said.
"Had the owner tried to go down themselves, we would have actually been in a position of likely rescuing a human as well as the dog."
A rope system was set up and a team member rappelled over the edge of the embankment to reach the dog, Trobridge said.
After that, the team was able to lower both dog and rescuer even further down to flat ground.
"He was pretty cold, really tired, but otherwise in good shape," she said.
"He was pretty happy when he ran out to his owner. It was a neat reunion to see."