While enjoying a lovely walk with his owners on holiday in Australia, Charlie, a cute little Cockapoo, let his instincts get the better of him. Fascinated by a bird flying over the coastline, the adventurous pup suddenly managed to slip his collar to give chase.
Squeezing through a gap in a hedge bordering the path, the poor little thing didn't see the drop beneath his paws. In the blink of an eye, Charlie plummeted from the top of an imposing cliff, measuring nearly 160 feet high.
A lucky landing on a narrow ledge
By some absolute miracle, Charlie's dizzying fall was cut short. After tumbling down the steep slope, the little dog landed safely on a narrow rocky ledge about 80 feet below the clifftop.
According to the rescue workers who rushed to the scene, such a fall would have been fatal for a human. Yet, when they spotted Charlie halfway down the cliff, the brave pup seemed surprisingly calm, completely oblivious to the extreme danger he was in. However, stranded on the edge of the abyss, he was obviously unable to climb back up on his own.
A precision rescue operation
To bring the dog back safely to his frantic family, local rescue teams and coastguards quickly set up a complex rope system. An experienced technician then abseiled down the rock face to reach the stranded pet.
As soon as the rescuer reached him, Charlie was on his best behaviour. He wasted no time in stepping straight into the special rescue bag. Safely brought back to the top, Charlie was reunited with his overjoyed owners. A terrifying ordeal with a very happy ending!