Every devoted dog owner cherishes their furry friend and will go to great lengths to ensure their safety and happiness. Yet, managing our pets’ natural curiosity can sometimes lead them into precarious situations. This was the case for Rilee, a dog who found herself exploring a mine shaft on her family’s Placerville, California property, only to fall down a borehole in an instant.
Upon realizing Rilee’s predicament, her mother, Kimberlee Adams Norwood Mickelson, was understandably frantic but quickly called for help.
A Delicate Rescue Mission
After receiving the distress call from Mickelson, the firefighters of El Dorado County Fire Protection District rushed to the scene and were taken aback to find that Rilee had fallen 60 feet underground after traveling 200 yards into the shaft.
“We’ve responded to dogs that have fallen into open mine shafts before, but nothing this extensive or serious,” said Captain Jacob Poganski of the El Dorado County Fire Protection District, speaking to The Dodo.
With no time to waste, the team quickly sprang into action, realizing the difficulty of the rescue mission ahead. Yet, their experience guided them in formulating a strategy. They performed a permit-required confined space entry and lowered a rescuer down to Rilee using rope systems, as detailed in their Facebook post. This rescue mission spanned approximately an hour and 15 minutes.
“The dog was extremely anxious as the rescuer approached but became calm and friendly upon realizing help had arrived,” Jacob remarked.
Rilee proved to be quite cooperative as the team secured a harness around her, aiding their efforts to lift her from the vertical shaft. Thankfully, the operation concluded successfully, and the dog was brought back to the surface without any complications, reported the El Dorado County Fire Protection District with joy.
“Miracles Do Happen”
Once Rilee emerged from the mine, she expressed her immense gratitude towards her rescuers. “She greeted each of us individually, as if to say, ‘Thank you!’” remarked Poganski.
It was a relief for everyone that Rilee emerged from the ordeal with only a few minor injuries, and her mother couldn’t have been happier.
“I’m forever grateful for the effort, care, and concern these heroes exhibited, and for risking their own safety to save my Rilee!” she shared in a Facebook post. “Miracles do happen! She’s ALIVE!!!”
The joy displayed by both Rilee and her owner reinforced the rescuers’ passion for their work. The challenges they face are significant, but the ultimate reward of saving a life makes it all worthwhile.
