Dog, Owner Rescued from Douglas Family Preserve Cliffs

A 60-pound Golden Retriever and his owner were rescued Monday afternoon from the bluffs at the Douglas Family Preserve after becoming stranded during a walk. The owner, described as a man in his twenties, had been walking his Golden Retriever along the off-leash area above Hendry’s Beach when the dog went over the cliff’s edge. Upon following, the man became stuck “60 feet” beneath the bluff’s edge, according to a City Fire press release.

Two fire engines, one truck, and a Battalion Chief responded at about 12:30 p.m. Monday. After 45 minutes, the dog and his owner were carried to the top of the bluffs via a rope system. No one was injured.

According to Battalion Chief Michael de Ponce, “Yesterday was our third [dog] rescue in the past two weeks.” City fire typically makes 10-12 such rescues each year at the Douglas Family Preserve. Most are “‘seasonal responses’ pending nice weather and heavy use of the open space,” he added.