RESCUE OF SPANIEL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1932, Page 14 (Supplement)

RESCUE OF SPANIEL

FALL DOWN STEEP BANK, BOY" LOWERED BY A ROPE. Lowered by a rope passed beneath his armpits, a boy, aged about eight years, rescued a small dog which had slipped down a steep cliff at Campbell’s Point, Auckland, and had become wedged in a\ precarious position on Sunday afternoon. The plight of the dog and the boy’s descent attracted a great deal of attention, many motor-cars passing along the waterfront road being stopped, says the Herald, while a crowd of passers-by gathered at the top of the cliff. The dog, a black Spaniel, was playing at the top of the cliff, near the foot of Gladstone Road, about 4 p.m., when it over-ran the edge of an almost vertical bank over 100 ft high. The clay face of the. clifT was greasy after the rain, and the dog was unable to check its descent until it reached a small depression about 2in deep scoured out. by water about a third of the way down the cliff. Here, it managed to secure a precarious hold, but could not move on the treacherous surface. The animal’s plight was noticed by a number of people who were passing, but

no one could gain a foothold on the clay, The climb would have been almost impossible on a fine day, and under the circumstances an attempt was out of the question. Meanwhile the dog was cowering and maintaining its hold, but it Was apparent that when it tired and lost its grip it would be killed. After a number of inquiries a rope was secured and the boy volunteered to allow himself to be lowered. The rope was passed under his armpits and he was gradually let down until he could lift the dog from its position. Securing it under one arm, he was then drawn back to safely at the top of the cliff. The dog, although it had obviously been terrified by its experience, soon recovered from its fright, and was none the worse for its adventure.