Oh, Oreo. The cute black Labrador Retriever did a really dumb thing last Sunday — she got stuck halfway down a 90-foot-cliff facing the Pacific Ocean in Somoma County. We’ve seen those cliffs; you don’t want to be anywhere near those cliffs, especially not halfway down one.
Capt. Todd Rollings of the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District laid it out for the Press Democrat: “It was kind of like a billy goat trail the dog went down. Even the dog realized it was dumb move.”
So there she was. Oreo. Forty feet down a 90-foot-cliff, and she couldn’t make it back up — or even turn around, according to the Press Democrat, which is sort of difficult to picture.
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department swung into action, along with fire crews. They brought Henry-1, because it was going to be that sort of day. Henry-1 is the sheriff’s helicopter.
First, though, they tried to coax Oreo back up by calling to her. Something like, “Here, Oreo. How about you back your way up that billy goat trail?”
“She was scared,” Rollings said. “She wasn’t going anywhere.”
So Henry-1 roared to life. First, pilot Paul Bradley flew the copter over Oreo a few times, to see whether she would get spooked. She was fine. She wanted out. Deputy Henri Boustany strapped himself onto the end of a 100-foot line, and the helicopter flew over Oreo, hoping Oreo would let Boustany grab her.
“I didn’t want a 60-pound dog digging itself into me,” Boustany told the Press Democrat.
Fortunately, Oreo was in no mood for a fight. Boustany said the dog was thrilled to see him.
“The dog and I got to know each other real quick,” he said. “I think the dog just wanted to be out of there.”
Boustany couldn’t really stand on the cliff face, so he leaned against Oreo, put one arm through her harness and another around her legs, and wrapped her in a bear hug. Then he kicked away from the cliff, and away they went.
Oreo’s owner hugged the dog once she was safe. Boustany said the woman and her dog were up from nearby San Pablo for the day.
“She was stoked,” he said. “She was very happy lady.”
Watch the video:
No more billy goat trails for Oreo.
Via the Press Democrat
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