November 29, 2008

Dog survives 90-foot-fall south of Kuna

Border collie breaks leg, suffers minor scrapes after leaping over wall.

BY KATY MOELLER - kmoeller@idahostatesman.com

Border collie breaks leg, suffers minor scrapes after leaping over wall.

A team of Kuna firefighters on Friday rescued a border collie that jumped over a canyon rim wall at Dedication Point south of Kuna. The dog fell 90 feet but suffered only scrapes on her chin and a broken rear leg.

"We thought the dog's back was broken. This dog is very lucky to escape with one broken bone," said Dee Dee Bowring, kennel supervisor at the Idaho Humane Society. "It's a happy ending, which is what we like."

The 2-year-old dog has been treated with pain medications and is now resting at the Idaho Humane Society's Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Jeff Rosenthal, the shelter's executive director, will perform surgery on the dog's broken leg early next week. He is doing the surgery free of charge.

Bowring and Animal Control Supervisor Morris McCall were called to the scene between noon and 1 p.m. Friday. A hiker had reported seeing a dog that had fallen over the cliff at Dedication Point, which is about 18 miles south of Kuna.

"I went just to see what I could do, if I was dealing with a live dog or a deceased dog," McCall said.

McCall and Bowring decided to call Kuna Fire for help when he found out that the dog's owner, Bill Rice, had hiked down the treacherously steep and rocky canyon wall to aid his dog. The dog landed on a ledge.

Rice told emergency personnel that he turned away from his dog, Shelby, to look at his grandkids and when he turned back, the dog was jumping over the 3-foot stone wall.

"I don't know if it was trying to find out what was on the other side, or what," McCall said. "It jumped over, and there was nothing but air."

Rice took his grandkids home before he hiked down to try to rescue his dog.

Kuna Fire had responded to a similar accident four years ago. In fact, it was eerily similar.

"He went over at the exact same spot and landed in the same spot," Kuna Fire Capt. Doug Newcomb said.

Miraculously, that first dog didn't even break a bone, so Kuna firefighters were optimistic that this second canine victim might survive, Newcomb said.

Greg McPherson, a firefighter who had helped rescue the dog four years earlier, felt comfortable trying to help again.

It was a calculated risk, Newcomb said.

"If it's going to put us in harm's way, we're not going to do it," Newcomb said.

McPherson hiked down to where Rice and the dog were. He and Rice secured the dog on a backboard with duct tape, and then two men at the top of the canyon pulled the 42-pound dog up.

Witnesses said the dog was amazingly calm during the whole ordeal.

"She was licking the fireman's face when they were down there (loading her on the backboard," Bowring said. "She was in pain, but I think she knew they were there to help her."

Katy Moeller: 377-6413