'Hungry And Thirsty' Dog Rescued From Crevice After 5 Days

KERHONKSON, NY — A dog that was trapped in a crevice in a state park in Ulster County was successfully rescued after five days without food or water.

The New York Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation department said the incident began Oct. 7 when an Ulster County woman was hiking with Liza, her 12-year-old dog in Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Kerhonkson.

The woman said Liza had fallen out of sight into a narrow crevice, but could still be heard barking, according to a news release.

Parks staff tried unsuccessfully to get into the crevice that evening before dark. They made other unsuccessful attempts in the following days to get a camera into the narrow space to check on Liza's condition.

On Tuesday, members of the Ulster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals arrived at the scene to help. A specialized plumbing inspection camera from the parks department was used to reach the dog.

The parks department was helped by the New Jersey Initial Response Team, which is a regional volunteer organization that specializes in cave rescues.

Two of the response team members were able to descend into the crevice to get the plumbing camera close enough to see Liza moving around in a narrow area. The dog appeared to be unharmed, they said.

One of the rescuers was able to get a modified, extended catch pole around Liza, who was lifted close enough to be placed into a rescue pack and brought to the surface safely around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Getting down into the crevice was left to Jessica Van Ord, described by Mark Dickey, the chief of the rescue team, because she is "our smallest team member."

Van Ord said she shimmied along a narrow passage and then used a hot dog hanging from the end of the catchpole to attract Liza and get her head into the loop. That allowed another rescuer to close the loop so Van Ord could bring the dog to her.

SPCA officials said Liza, while hungry and thirsty, was in good health. She was later reunited with her owner.

While still in the crevice and under observation through the camera, Liza could be seen licking the damp walls of the crevice. Officials said that likely provided her with moisture that helped her survive.

Joshua Laird, the executive director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, said they were thrilled that Liza could be returned safely to her owner.

"This incident is a reminder that the rules requiring dogs to be kept on-leash are an important way to protect loved pets, their owners and the park's fragile resources," he said.

Gina Carbonari, executive director of the Ulster County SPCA, said it was heartwarming to have a positive outcome in a case like this and see so many people put themselves at risk to save an animal's life.

"We were all concerned the dog had not survived until Jessica was able to get closer and hear movement," she said. "The rejoicing on the surface to that news was just incredible and renewed everyone's motivation to get this little dog to safety."

Laird said the commission was grateful for the perseverance of the Minnewaska State Park Preserve staff, the New Jersey Initial Response team, the Ulster County SPCA, the Kerhonkson Accord First Aid Squad and the Accord Fire Department for their efforts in rescuing Liza.

The parks department said it wanted to remind all visitors that regulations require dogs to be kept on leashes of not more than 6 feet at all times. This is for the safety of the animals as well as of other visitors, officials said.