DURBAN - Paramedics have reported that the dog that was rescued off a cliff last week was on the road to recovery.
Medi Response spokesperson Paul Herbst said earlier last week the Medi Response team and various other units undertook the successful rescue of a dog, which had been stuck on a cliff ledge for several days.
“Gemi, the adorable patient, has since begun her recovery and is in good health, as she regains her strength. We are thrilled to learn that she has been reunited with her family and will be going home once she is strong,” Herbst said.
“May you have many happy years ahead, Gemi.”
Last Wednesday, a team of emergency rescue services successfully rescued a dog that had been trapped on a cliff in the Reservoir Hills area since Tuesday.
That morning, 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 rescued the dog.
He said 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 it to shore.
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 had 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 assist in conducting a safe operation. Advanced life support paramedics are standing by to support rescue personnel.
START Rescue spokesperson Warren Brauns said that at about 6pm on Tuesday evening they received a call about a dog that had got 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.
He said 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