Local fire and police crews work together to rescue dog

On the late morning of Aug. 22 police and rescue crews were dispatched to Cheesefactory Road in Shelburne for a dog that was stuck between two rocks. 

Shelburne Police were the first to arrive on scene to find a hound-type dog that had fallen into a hole in a rock ledge and was unable to get out. The police officer was able to get a leash on the dog to prevent any further movement into the hole. He also immediately requested help from Shelburne Fire Department. Shortly after arrival of Shelburne Fire, they also requested assistance from Charlotte Fire & Rescue for our four-wheel-drive Gator, as they were out in the woods approximately half a mile from any road. 

After assessing the situation, it was determined that it was going to take some ingenuity and tools to remove the dog from its predicament. Fire crews loaded up Charlotte’s Gator with a variety of heavy rescue tools (ladder, chipper hammers, airbags, struts hydraulic spreader and cribbing) to assist in the removal.

After several attempts to remove the dog from an opening in the rocks, fire and rescue workers decided to start cutting trees and moving some rocks. The hydraulic spreaders were put in place after carefully supporting other rocks, and the rock that was creating the small opening was lifted with the hydraulic spreader, creating an opening large enough to be able the remove the dog. Once removed, the dog was brought out of the woods and checked over. She emerged virtually unscathed from her ordeal and was given back to the caregiver.

This rescue was successful because of the cooperation of the three agencies responding—the Shelburne Police, the Shelburne Fire Department and Charlotte Fire & Rescue.