Puppy In Perilous Predicament On Dana Point Cliff

DANA POINT, CA — What do you do when you see a puppy trapped on a steep cliff in south Orange County? Call the Orange County Fire Authority, of course.

This approximately 6-month-old pup, known as "Brian," is a German Shepherd mix who tends to get himself into trouble, we were told. Brian was discovered about 50 feet down a 300 foot cliff near Capistrano Beach, OCFA Capt. Tony Bommarito, told Patch.

Worried residents called the fire department to help get the guy down the steep cliffside. OCFA was ready with technical rescue tactics, and created a carefully laid out plan of action. The Rescue firefighters were ready with ropes and rigging, setting up in case they needed to descend the cliff to rescue the pup.

Roads were temporarily closed during the rescue operation, Pacific Coast Highway was blocked off from Palisades from the north and Camino Capistrano from the south, according to Bommarito, while the area was rendered safe for rescue teams.

Meanwhile firefighters negotiated the best way down, however a helicopter was waved off lest it scare the little guy. Technical Rescue workers planned on ropes where they would get down to the puppy, to "corral it to a safe area," but that was not necessary as it turned out.

Thirty minutes into the rescue, the owner arrived and admitted that the little German Shepherd mix, Brian, does escape from time to time.

"We were glad it was unnecessary to put our guys down for a rope rescue, this time," he said, adding rope rescues can be dangerous for all.

Brian, in this case, was able to ultimately rescue himself, with some coaxing. Once his owner arrived on scene, he successfully called the pup, who finagled his way down to stable ground.

"It was nice to have a feel good story today," Bommarito told us, helping all of the residents of Orange County, even the four legged kind.

OCFA Photos