DURBAN – A team of emergency rescue services has successfully rescued a dog that had been trapped on a cliff in the Reservoir Hills area since Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, Medi Response KZN spokesperson Paul Herbst said their Medi Response Search & Rescue unit, together with the Durban University Emergency Care Department, SAPS Search & Rescue and Metro Police Search & Rescue had safely executed the rescue of the dog.
“Crews descended the cliff face to access the dog before assessing its health, and placing it into a harness. The dog was lowered to an awaiting boat, which transported the dog to shore,” Herbst said.
“The dog will be further assessed and taken into care.”
Earlier, Herbst said the dog had been stuck on a cliff face ledge, reportedly for four days. A rescue attempt on Tuesday night was abandoned due to a lack of access and diminishing light. Crews went to the scene on Wednesday morning to prepare to conduct the rescue.
“Medi Response have deployed a drone to aid in identifying a safe route for the team to descend. A rescue boat has been positioned on the water below, to further assist in conducting a safe operation. Advanced life support paramedics are standing by to support rescue personnel,” Herbst said.
START Rescue spokesperson Warren Brauns said that at about 6pm on Tuesday evening they received a call about a dog that had got itself stuck on a cliff face above the quarry in Reservoir Hills.
Brauns said it was decided that an on scene assessment would be required and multiple services were dispatched which included START first responders, START High Angle Team, START Aquatic Team, Netcare 911 and the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
“The top of the cliff had very thick and dense bush so it was decided to attempt to do a water recovery which required the aquatic team to get a craft into the quarry and ferry the equipment as well as the high angle team to the bottom of the cliff face,” Brauns said.
“The teams tried to get to the dog twice, but were sadly not able to reach the dog, with a last attempt being conducted around 10pm.”
Brauns said it was decided that the area was too dangerous and unsafe to continue the rescue that night as the ground was very soft with lots of loose large rocks and shale and the light was failing.
Daily News