Spot who’s a lucky dog then
Chasing a pig down a 60-metre ravine probably seemed like a good idea to Spot and Mouse at the time.
After four days at the foot of a cliff beside a stream it was clear from Spot’s howls that he had second thoughts.
The pair of dogs were with owner Manson Huata in the Raupunga forest, near Wairoa, on Sunday when they got wind of the pig and chased it down into the ravine.
The pig managed to get away but not Spot and Mouse. Huata was able to retrieve Mouse but after several more attempts to retrieve Spot it became clear on Tuesday he would not be successful so he called the SPCA. A fourstrong team from the SPCA’S national rescue unit arrived at the site yesterday morning and were joined by five members of the Massey University veterinary emergency response team.
They could not see the 2-yearold greyhound fox terrier but they could certainly hear his anguished calls.
Unit team leader Gina Kemp, no stranger to this kind of rescue, said 60m was ‘‘a pretty decent distance’’.
‘‘There is bit of foliage and the stream at the bottom which might have protected him from injury. It is quite surprising how often dogs are found at the bottom of cliffs without injury. They are pretty tough,’’ Kemp said. Spot had fallen into a section of stream between two waterfalls, meaning he could not get out. ‘‘He was pretty distressed and making a lot of noise.
‘‘He was a little bit skinny after being down there for four days but in pretty good condition really,’’ Kemp said.
Huata said he was pleased to have Spot back. ‘‘They just chased the pig off the cliff.
‘‘It was a long way down and I was pretty worried.’’