ST. GEORGE — A dog got too close to the edge of a cliff and fell an estimated 100 feet to the desert floor while hiking with a group of people Saturday afternoon.
The St. George Fire Department received a call for help at approximately 3:40 p.m. concerning the fallen dog in the Cougar Cliffs area, Battalion Chief Darren Imlay said.
When firefighters arrived, some bystanders had rappelled to the dog and calmed it down.
Imlay said some dogs become aggressive or run away when injured, but the dog they rescued was calm. He praised the bystanders for their help.
Firefighters walked partway down the cliff, setting up a rope system for one drop-off, and retrieved the dog from the bystanders. Imlay said they then carried the dog back up over the ledge to its owners.
Imlay said the dog was injured and he believes the owners took it to a vet. He noted that it was able to walk on its own during the rescue operation, but he wasn’t sure of its current condition.
The entire rescue took approximately 90 minutes.
“We didn’t want to hurry and get somebody else injured,” he said.
Imlay said the Fire Department receives an uptick of rescue calls this time of year and reminds the public to be careful and prepared while enjoying outdoor activities, such as hiking, climbing and rappelling.
St. George Animal Control also responded to the scene.
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