SPOKANE, Wash. – Firefighters with the Spokane Fire Department (SFD) responded to a call on New Year’s Eve about an injured dog stranded on a cliff ledge near the Howard Street Bridge.
Upon arriving in the Riverfront area, Engine 4 and Truck 4 crews dispatched from Browne’s Addition found the dog about 15 feet down the embankment. Lowering a firefighter with a harness and belay system was determined to be the safest approach for retrieving the animal.
Firefighter Scott Polley was lowered to the ledge and initially tried to secure the dog with a harness, however, he decided that manually capturing the dog would be more effective. Once secured, both Polley and the dog were carefully raised back to the top.
After approximately 40 minutes, the dog was reunited with its owner, who reported the pet was sore and bruised but otherwise okay.
