While most of us don’t imagine we’ll be saving an animal while sipping our morning coffee, one man unexpectedly found himself in that very position.
As he enjoyed his morning cup, he noticed something odd shifting along the edge of a cliff. Looking closer, he realized it wasn’t just movement. It was a tiny dog in desperate need of help.
Without wasting time, the man reached out to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), in Colorado, reporting what he had seen and asking for help.
Something Strange On The Cliff
When officers Barker and Johnson arrived at the site, the little dog was so far out of reach that binoculars were the only way to spot her.
“He [the elderly man] was funny because I couldn’t see her without my binoculars, and he said he knew the ‘dot’ was an animal because he’s never seen that dot there before,” said Officer Barker.
Through the lenses, they could see the pup stuck on a narrow ledge above a fifty-yard drop into the creek below.
Cliffside Rescue
No one knew how long she had been stranded there, so they had to act quickly. Fortunately, a nearby resident had a mountaineering harness and rappelling rope, which became essential to the effort.
Officer Barker secured herself to a strong wooden fencepost and began descending the cliff to reach the dog.
When the pup spotted her rescuer, she immediately wagged her tail and tried crawling toward Barker. But with each move, the dirt beneath her gave way, keeping her from reaching safety.
The dirt kept sliding out from under her, but she kept trying. When I was down on the cliffside with her, she tried crawling towards me again. When I finally got to her, she kept licking my hands and face.
At that moment, Officer Johnson lowered a catchpole to help Barker safely loop it around the dog’s neck and shoulders.
Because of this, Officer Barker made sure that even if the ground slipped completely, the dog would still be safe.
This made sure the pup would remain secure even if the ground shifted further. Once Barker had her in her arms, Johnson lowered another rope, which was attached to a makeshift harness for extra protection.
With everything in place, Johnson slowly pulled both Barker and the dog back to level ground.
Back To Safety
The officers took the pup straight to the shelter. During her examination, staff discovered she had both a tag and a microchip. That quickly revealed her name, Jessie Lee, and her family’s contact information.
The shelter wasted no time reaching out to her owners with the incredible news.
Jessie Lee had been missing for two weeks, and the cliff was only a few blocks away from her house. Her family was overjoyed, rushing to the Colorado shelter the next morning to bring her home.
After two long weeks apart, their family was whole again.
Final Word
This rescue is a reminder of how valuable it is to have your pets microchipped.
Even though Jessie Lee wore a tag, finding her family without the chip could have been far more difficult. With it, reuniting them only took moments.