A young spaniel named Bracken is safe today thanks to the quick teamwork of rescuers, after he fell from a cliff and became stranded on a ledge near his family’s home in Sedbury, England, according to People.
The pup had been exploring his family’s garden when he wandered too close to the edge and tumbled seven meters (or 23 feet) down the cliff face, landing on a ledge below.
Bracken’s family searched the area after realizing he was missing and eventually heard him howling beyond the garden fence, leading them to find him trapped partway down the cliff, 20 meters (or 65 feet) above the River Wye.
Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA), Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and HM Coastguard Chepstow were called to the scene to help retrieve the vulnerable canine. As a precaution, a lifeboat was also positioned on the river below.
Teams then lowered a firefighter to the ledge, where Bracken was secured in a harness and bag before both were lifted back to safety.
Once safely lifted from the cliff and released from the bag, Bracken’s tail quickly began wagging as he met his rescuers. After the ordeal, Bracken’s guardian reported that the pup was doing well.
“[The rescue teams] found it highly amusing,” Bracken’s guardian said. “I am ironically a sustainability and risk consultant – but that doesn’t extend to dog fencing.”
Lady Freethinker is grateful to the rescue teams who helped bring Bracken home safely, and we hope the curious Spaniel keeps his future explorations a little farther from the edge.
