A 2-year-old Border Collie survived with relatively minor injuries after the dog leaped from Dedication Point (pictured above) near the Snake River in Idaho.
There was no reason for the dog to take the leap. Authorities believe she was just curious of what was on the other side. All the dog found was open air and a ledge 90 feet down. Miraculously, the dog walked away with a broken rear leg, and scrapes to her chin.
The dog’s owner scrambled down a steep cliff to see if his dog was OK. Also responding to the call was animal control after a nearby hiker who witnessed the event called authorities. Firefighters were called in to rescue the dog. They used a stretcher and strapped the dog to the board using duct tape. Don’t you love the many uses of that magical duct tape?
The 42-pound dog was calm during the rescue – even licking her rescuers’ faces on the way up. A veterinarian at the local shelter is performing the dog’s surgery for free.
Four years ago, another dog leaped from the same spot and landed on the same ledge. A firefighter who rescued the dog four years ago also rescued the Border Collie. I wonder what it is about the cliff that makes dogs leap. What do you think is over the cliff?
Read the story here.
I’ve wondered before if dogs have very good depth perception. I guess being a long-time dog-owner, I should know such a thing, but I don’t. I worry about my dog whenever she’s anywhere near “a long way down.” I always keep her on a leash or fenced in our (big) yard, in part for her own safety, but I wonder how many times she would have taken a leap if she’d been free to.