Blind dog home after mountain rescue
2012-01-01 22:00
Johannesburg - Maddox entered 2012 from a dizzy height.
On New Year's Eve the partially-blind chow-cross-husky dog vanished from his temporary abode when his owner, Ashley Sisson, was between homes and had moved from Fish Hoek to her parents' place in Simonstown.
His wanderings took him 1km towards Fish Hoek until he became trapped on a ledge, between cliffs, up on Glencairn mountain.
"We were so worried about him," said Sisson who realised on Saturday afternoon that the dog she adopted a year ago from the rescue facility, the Domestic Animal Rescue Group (DARG), was missing.
"I called vets and asked around. But I trusted someone would be in touch because our contact details are on his collar."
The first people to find Maddox on his uncomfortable perch were apparently two children, on New Year's morning, she said.
"They were throwing stones near him, trying to guide him to where he could get off the ledge."
However, it was eventually members of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) who headed inland instead of seawards to rescue Sisson's missing dog later on New Year's Day.
"They had to try to get him to them by inviting him to a bowl of water.
"This was difficult because Maddox was abused as a puppy and is very shy."
However, their efforts that also included use of a rope, paid off and Maddox was brought safely down the mountain to do his job.
"His partial blindness makes him such a good watch dog because all his other senses are alerted," said Sisson.
"He's a very special dog."
- SAPA