DOGS RESCUED FROM TREE IN PARK

Elyria – Two dogs got themselves into a precarious position high up in a tree Monday afternoon and needed help getting back on the ground.

Elyria Firefighters were called to Cascade Park just before 2 p.m. Monday afternoon after people in the park spotted the two dogs trapped in the tree. Firefighters found the two dogs, one about 7 years old and the other about 4 years old perched about 18 feet up in a hollow of a tree that had tumbled over years ago.

The tree was too unstable for Firefighters to climb up or to use any kind of ropes so the idea was to get them to come back down on their own.

Pressurized water cans were used to push the dogs towards the hole in the tree that would lead them back down to freedom. The younger of the two dogs wasn’t a fan of being sprayed and popped through the hole and simply walked down the tree and disappeared into the woods. The older seemed to enjoy the hosing down and stayed put.

The Lorain County Dog Warden brought dog food to the tree and was tossing pieces up to the frightened pup. With the accuracy of Colt McCoy he was able to get several pieces into the hollow for the dog.

Lorain County Emergency Management Director Tom Kelley arrived on scene and brought in an expert from Richards Tree Service and an animal rescue team from C.A.R.E. (County Animal Rescue and Evacuation).

Many ideas were being thrown at Captain Robert Dempsey of the Elyria Fire Department, the man in charge of the operation, as to the best way to get the dog down. Many were tossed out due to the risk factors as they were in a precarious area with a slick ground covered with leaves and on a hill.

Finally Dempsey decided to go with using a ladder wrapped in a tarp. Firefighters hoisted the ladder up to the limb and the Dog Warden connected a “snoop” (a type of noose) around the dog’s neck and guided him to and down the ladder. Dempsey said later, “it wasn’t the prettiest rescue but she’s down and safe.”

A small crowd of park walkers and neighbors from Glendale Street that had assembled to watch the rescue applauded the efforts of all the rescuers as the down was brought up the hill.

The dog was taken away by volunteers from the C.A.R.E. group.


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