GRESHAM, Ore. – A rescuer was lowered down from the extended ladder of a fire truck Tuesday at dusk to gently harness and lift a stranded dog out of a quarry ledge in Gresham.
Tammie Johnson, the dog's owner, said "Daisy," a 2-year-old, very friendly, 45-pound pitbull, had been missing for a week.
Daisy was very thirsty after being hoisted to safety. She sank her muzzle into a mud puddle and drank rapidly until clean water was brought for her.
Gresham firefighter Bob Chamberlin said Daisy was very cooperative when he was lowered to the ledge and worked to put a safety harness on her.
Photos: Daisy the dog rescued from quarry
"The Humane Society gave me one the of the owner's T-shirts. As soon as she sniffed that, she was right up against me and ready to go," Chamberlin said.
Owners of the Knife River Quarry initially said it would be too dangerous to lower a person down to rescue the dog, because the walls of the quarry were not stable. But after over an hour of discussion with the mayor of Gresham, the police chief, Humane Society officials and firefighters, the quarry boss decided to allow rescuers to give it a try.
Daisy was first spotted by aerial view from Sky 8. The brown and white dog was curled up on a small ledge but getting up and walking around.
Earlier Tuesday, rescuers lowered a cage with food inside to a location near the dog, hoping it would walk inside. The plan was to lift the cage out of the quarry with a crane. The dog did not appear to be seriously injured and checked the cage at times but never went inside.
Authorities said they're unsure exactly when or how the dog got into the quarry and ended up stranded on the ledge. The quarry is located near the intersection of NE 190th and SE Division.
