A fluffy 12-year-old dog named Liza is home safe after a terrifying incident in New York’s Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
What started out as a perfect fall hike turned into a life-or-death situation in the blink of an eye. Liza and her owner were hiking near Gertrude’s Nose Trail when the dog, who was not on a leash, tumbled into a deep, narrow crevice in the rock.
The woman could hear Liza barking from deep within the earth, but reaching her was impossible. She called for help, and rescuers from New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites rushed to the scene. They tried repeatedly to get to the frightened animal, but the crevice was simply too deep and narrow to navigate.
In the following days, more attempts were made to reach Liza, and they were able to lower a camera down to check on her. More rescue teams came to assist, including the New Jersey Initial Response Team, a volunteer crew that specializes in cave rescues.
On day five, NJIRT member Jessica Van Ord was selected to be lowered into the crevice in hopes of reaching Liza.
“This was a tight vertical fissure leading to an even tighter horizontal crack. Only Jessica Van Ord, our smallest team member, was able to squeeze and contort herself more than 40 feet from the surface to reach the dog,” said Mark Dickey, chief of the New Jersey Initial Response Team. “This incident is a reminder that a single misstep, whether by animal, child, or even adult, near caves or cliffs can be deadly.”
Around 5 p.m., Jessica was able to shimmy along the narrow cave passage and use a catch stick with a hot dog on the end of it to lure Liza closer. Once the catch loop was around the pup, Jessica hauled the little pooch up 40 feet to safety!
Rescuers weren’t sure how Liza would be doing, but she was relatively unharmed! She was hungry and thirsty, but authorities believe she licked dampness from the cave walls to stay alive during her ordeal.
Now officials are warning other hikers to beware of letting their dogs off leash. A good reminder for all of us!
Thank goodness for brave rescue workers like Jessica, who aren’t afraid to wriggle deep into the ground to save a beloved pet! We’re so glad this story has a happy ending.
Watch the moment Liza reaches the surface in the video below, and don’t forget to share this story to thank these dedicated heroes for a job well done!
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