A group of cavers exploring Giant Caverns in western Virginia turned their weekend excursion into a rescue mission when they found a dog trapped 40 to 50 feet underground. Dave Jackson and Jesse Rochette, from the Colorado-based educational cave simulator company CaveSim, were exploring the cave with a local couple on Sunday when they made the unexpected discovery.
The first member of their party to descend into the funnel-shaped cave spotted the dog. “He said, ‘Whoa! There’s a dog down here!’” Rochette recalled. “And I asked if it was alive and he said ‘Yes!’”
Rochette, who described himself as a “dog-guy”, rappelled down next with a piece of salami, which the shivering dog eagerly devoured. They wrapped her in space blankets, foam pads and even an old jacket hood found in the cave. They then coaxed her to drink water by letting her lick water off Rochette’s fingers, gradually lowering his hand until she was drinking from a bowl.
Jackson, who had previous experience with rescue training, said they pooled their rescue gear. They improvised a dog harness from a tarp and webbing and rigged a system to haul the dog out, strapped to Rochette. The entire rescue took about three hours.
“As the two of us cleared the edge of the pit and made it to fresh air, she instantly perked up,” Rochette said. “She lifted her head up and started sniffing the air.”
The property owner didn’t recognize the dog, so Rochette took her to a nearby veterinary hospital. She was then transferred to the Giles County Animal Shelter, where she was recovering well and receiving plenty of treats.
The shelter, calling the dog a “living miracle”, initially wasn’t sure what to expect when they received the call about the dog’s predicament. Sparsy, as they named her, had no broken bones but struggled to use her back legs. However, with medication, rest, and good nutrition, they expected her to be up and moving within days.
The shelter posted an update on Wednesday, stating that Sparsy was up and moving, and her medical expenses had been covered. They were still searching for her owner, but if she continued healing at the current pace, she would be ready for a new home soon.
