Cattle Dog Trapped On Cliff As Bighorn Sheep Looks On: Dramatic Rescue

PALM DESERT, CA — A cattle dog mix chasing endangered bighorn sheep became trapped on a cliff, requiring rescue in the Palm Springs mountains, a spokesperson for the Oswit Land Trust told Patch.

Unable to help the trapped dog, the land trust called on Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills, who sent his Search and Rescue officers to help save the pup. They rappelled the dog safely down from above the Carl Lykken Trail Wednesday, an effort that took six hours to complete.

Jane Garrison, Oswit Land Trust Executive Director discussed the harrowing rescue with Patch.

"In 40 years, this is only the second dog rescue that PSPD rescue has participated in," Garrison said.

The Oswit Land Trust protects the Peninsular bighorn sheep and other animals in their over 100 acres of the protected canyon in the Palm Springs Area. When you go, people are asked to stay on the trails, and there are absolutely no dogs allowed.

When Ranger Scott Collins learned a dog was running around the canyon chasing bighorn sheep, he went to investigate. Heading to the mountain bike trail at dawn, he noticed a bighorn sheep standing on top of a cliff, high above the canyon floor.

He saw the dog, later identified as Talulah, as the point of their focus.

"The sheep were grunting, something they do when they feel threatened," Garrison said. The dog was trapped on a tiny cliffside ledge below the sheep.

With no way to get the dog down safely, Collins called in the search and rescue team.

Chief Mills sent PSPD Search and Rescue Officers Kenny Williams, Doug Stevens and Mike Vines to assess the scene and determine how to get her down. Below, Oswit Land Trust workers called orders for the worried dog to "sit" and "lie down" in an effort to keep her safe as rock climbers reached the dog by rappelling down from above.

They had no idea if the dog would bite or scramble and fall off the small ledge. Instead, as the climber reached her, Talulah started wagging her tail, Garrison said.

Though Williams planned on putting the dog in a bag designed for incapacitated hikers, that failed. Instead, he carried the dog down the sheer rock face while his partner lowered them down 75 feet to the canyon floor.

The dog was unhurt, Garrison said, just thirsty and exhausted. Once tethered on her own four legs, Collins and the land trust team set about finding her owner at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter.

"Talulah lived about a mile away and had gotten out," Garrison said. "We contacted the owner through information on her microchip."

When Talulah was reunited with her owner, there were many dog kisses and tears.

"We are so thankful to our Ranger Scott who noticed Talulah up on the ledge. Even with binoculars, it was difficult to see her so she obviously would have died a slow horrible death or would have fallen to her death," Garrison said. "We are immensely grateful to the Palm Springs Police Department Search and Rescue Team for coming out so quickly and getting Talulah to safety."

On a final note, Garrison added, "please never ever bring dogs where sheep live, especially in the Oswit Land Trust. As you can see, they do chase them."