Rescuers go over the edge to save dog stranded on cliff

Published 4:16 am Thursday, August 7, 2008

SEQUIM — The Clallam County Search and Rescue team hoisted a dog 40 feet up a cliff after it was reported stuck on ledge.

Clallam County Search and Rescue team volunteers rushed to help on Tuesday when they heard that Mia, a German Shepherd mix, was trapped on a ledge on a cliff some 40 feet down and 80 feet above a beach.

Puyallup resident Dan Absher and his family were visiting his vacation home on Sequim Bay Road.

Mia, owned by his nieces Michelle Davidson and Trisha Sayer, tried to join a group on the beach.

“She tried to take the shortest path, and couldn’t handle the steep cliff,” Absher said.

“We were lucky, because there was a ledge about half way down she could hang out on.”

The ledge where Mia huddled, which is near Absher’s home, stuck out at a nearly a 90-degree angle.

“I tried to see what I could do, but we determined it was too dangerous, so I called 9-1-1 and they were nice enough to come help us out,” Absher said.