Crew from Nanaimo Fire Rescue attempted to rescue a small chihuahua which had fallen down 'The Abyss' near Harewood Mines Rd. on Tuesday, July 20. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

ROVER RESCUE

VIDEO: Crews successfully rescue small dog after fall down Nanaimo’s Abyss

Jul 20, 2021 | 2:14 PM

NANAIMO — Firefighters and rope rescue technicians pulled off a successful rescue of a small dog which fell down an infamous hiking spot south of the city.

Crews from Nanaimo Fire Rescue attended the scene around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20 after a nine and a half year old chihuahua-cross fell into “The Abyss” on the Extension Ridge Trail near Harewood Mines Rd.

Witnesses said the 15 pound dog, named Harley, wandered away from its owner while on leash and fell into the gap. Crews on scene lowered a rope rescue tech into the crevice to retrieve the animal, eventually pulling it out around 2:30 p.m.

“I can only say I’m elated and these guys did an amazing job,” Dale Rahim, the dog’s owner, said. “I’m completely shocked it worked out this way. I just didn’t think he would survive.”

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Rahim said he was unable to watch much of the rescue.

“With the kind of unstable stuff in there and I knew they’ve been down there before and they’re confident with it but I couldn’t listen to that if the odd branch goes.”

Initial attempts to reach the dog failed as crews said the dog was somewhat stuck and couldn’t come to the Nanaimo Fire Rescue member who was lowered down.

The dog resisted attempts to be rescued by dodging the member lowered into the crevice. Debris falling down the gap from above also hampered rescue efforts.

A newly purchased piece of equipment, a steel pole with a loop at the end, which is designed for rescues in close quarters was eventually able to hook the dog.

“It’s a tight area for our crew to go into. Fortunately today we were able to set up a rope call for it, we got the dog out with no real issues,” Capt. Doran Boudrot, Nanaimo Fire Rescue, said.

Firefighters conducted similar rescues at the site in February and March of 2021, however Boudrot said the area hasn’t been a long-term trouble spot.

“If people could please, when they come up here, to be conscientious of your dogs. They will fall down there and we hate to see anybody get hurt or worse a child falls down there.”

Harley was taken from the scene and will be examined by a vet in the near future, but showed little ill effects of his adventure.

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