Charlie's angels

Update

GEORGE NEWS - A routine morning walk in Herold's Bay turned into quite the adventure for a dog named Charlie when he found himself stuck on a cliff face on the Voëlklip road on Sunday 8 October.

Luckily for Charlie and his family, this Voëlklip story has a happy ending.

"My brother Caylum and I went on our usual morning walk with our dogs at Voëlklip, as we have been doing for the past three years. The dogs love walking there and it is so beautiful," said Aidan Boon.

However, as they were approaching their car to go home, Charlie followed his nose, as dogs do, and wandered off down the cliff. He couldn't get back up and the brothers realised their beloved dog was stuck.

"I climbed down to where he was to calm him down and help as much as I could, while my brother got hold of the fire and rescue department and Garden Route SPCA. I stayed with Charlie throughout the process," said Boon.

Up...

And away!

The rescuers arrived quickly and after assessing the situation they lowered a fire hose attached to a climbing rope to Boon and Charlie.

"They also sent down a harness for myself so I could move around more freely while trying to position Charlie in a safe way to help pull him up. I then tied the fire hose around Charlie into a makeshift harness," he said.

Charlie is not a small dog and with a weight of slightly more than 100kg he couldn't simply be picked up and lifted without rescue equipment.

But all's well that ends well and Caylum, the GRSPCA and the fire department managed to pull Charlie to safety while Aidan maneuvered Charlie from below to ensure he doesn't slip.

After about four hours, Charlie was lifted to safety and with the assistance of the rescue team, Boon managed to climb up to safety himself.

"I would like to send my appreciation and thanks to my brother, the GRSPCA, fire and rescue department and everyone else who was involved," Boon said.

Charlie with his rescue angels. From the left are Beandré Botha of the GRSPCA, junior firefighter Richard Bruinders, Caylum Boon, George fire department Platoon Commander Shane Fisher and the GRSPCA's Leon Jors.