When a terrier named Benson chased a small animal into a set of bushes and over a cliff, his owner was forced to call for backup.
David Robinson and the small dog were out for a walk through the forest outside Nanaimo, British Columbia, when Benson took off and ended up stuck on a steep ledge.
“When we got there the dog was actually howling and crying, and we felt quite badly for him. He was obviously distressed,” said Carly Trobridge, president of the Nanaimo Search and Rescue team that was eventually called to the scene.
Trobridge told CBC News that it was a good thing they showed up when they did. If Robinson had tried to save the pup himself, they likely would have had to rescue him as well. Not only was the bank steep, it was also very mossy, which made the ground extremely slippery.
The Nanaimo SAR team used a rope system to repel one of their team members safely over the edge to meet the dog. Once he reached the dog, the rescuer held Benson in his arms, while the team lowered him and the dog to the flat ground below.
According to Trobridge, the dog was pretty happy when he spotted Robinson.
“It was a neat reunion to see,” she said.
Although Benson was cold and tired by the time he was wrapped up and placed in Robinson’s arms, he didn’t suffer any injuries.
Related Story Dog rescued after it chases chipmunk off cliff in Cypress Provincial Park
Related Story Vancouver officer jumps into half-frozen lagoon to rescue drowning dog