Puppy Rescued After Falling 25 Feet Down an Abandoned Mine Shaft

BY | October 28 | COMMENTS PUBLISHED BY
Puppy Rescued After Falling 25 Feet Down an Abandoned Mine Shaft

Photo via NBC Southern California

Photo via NBC Southern California

According to NBC Los Angeles

, a tiny pup, named Puppy Dog, is safe in her pet parentโ€™s arms after surviving a 25 foot fall down an abandoned mine shaft in Barstow, California.Owner Jerry Crain was enjoying an off-roading adventure when his dog escaped and began doing some exploring of her own. When Puppy Dog didnโ€™t return, Crain knew that something terrible had happened. After all, the treacherous landscape of the High Desert area is โ€œpepperedโ€ with abandoned mineshafts, according to Eric Sherwin, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.Crain had returned the next day to continue searching for his puppy, when he โ€œjust happenedโ€ to notice the barbed wire surrounding what seemed to be a massive hole. When he took a closer look, he was able to see Puppy Dog, perched on a ledge of the shaft, 25 feet below.

Photo via NBC Southern California

Photo via NBC Southern California

Luckily, this kind of rescue is not uncommon, and Sherwinโ€™s team is well-trained. Members of the departmentโ€™s Urban Search and Rescue team rigged a high-angle contraption on the edge of the mine shaft, and a firefighter rappelled down the shaft.The tiny pup was rescued after the perilous fall and a night spent in the dangerous shaft.โ€œShe's very lucky, I guess, because there was a ridge she was sitting on there. Otherwise, she couldโ€™ve went on down, couldโ€™ve been finished,โ€ Crain said with tears in his eyes.Crain added that Puppy Dog will no longer be joining him on any off-roading adventures.

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