Lucky Dog! Pooch trapped in crevice 5 days rescued, unharmed

KERHONKSON (N.Y.) -- A dog that was trapped in a narrow, rocky crevice in a state park north New York City for five days was unharmed. However, it was hungry and thirsty, officials from parks said Wednesday.

Lucky Dog! Pooch trapped in crevice 5 days rescued, unharmed

KERHONKSON (N.Y.) -- A dog that was trapped in a narrow, rocky crevice in a state park north New York City for five days was unharmed. However, it was hungry and thirsty, officials from parks said Wednesday.

The 12-year-old dog Liza was left without water and food for days at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. However, Liza was seen licking the crevice walls before a rescuer arrived.

The dog fell into a crevice while a local woman was walking with it. The barking dog was not helped by park staffers.

Two members of New Jersey's Initial Response Team were able to descend deep enough into the cave on Tuesday to obtain a special plumbing camera that was close enough to Liza.

Jessica Van Ord, a rescuer, swam through the passage using a hot dog suspended from a modified catchpole to lure the dog into making a loop. Another rescuer was able to close the loop.

"This was a narrow vertical fissure that led to a tighter horizontal crack. Jessica Van Ord, the smallest member of our team, was able squeeze and condense herself to reach the dog from more than 40 feet away," Mark Dickey (chief of the response team), stated in the news release.

The rescue pack was taken to the surface and the dog was brought back to its owner at 5:05 p.m. on Tuesday.

Gina Carbonari, executive director of Ulster County SPCA stated that "we were all concerned that the dog would not survive until Jessica was able get closer and hear movement." "The joy at the surface of that news was incredible, and it renewed everyone's determination to rescue this dog."

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