Team Rescues Dog Stuck in Forest Ravine for 2 Nights

Lucky hit the jackpot Saturday.

The 9-year-old golden retriever, stuck in a ravine in Los Padres National Forest since Thursday, was finally discovered and hauled more than 2,000 feet to safety by a county sheriff’s search and rescue team.

Although hungry, Lucky was uninjured and happy to be reunited with its owner, Bill Canty of Casitas Springs, sheriff’s officials said.

Lucky fell into the ravine near Reyes Peak Campground while hiking with Canty.

Unable to help his dog out of the rocky ravine, Canty spent the night with his pet while sheriff’s officials--alerted by Canty’s wife that he was missing Thursday afternoon--searched for the man and his dog.

On Friday morning, Canty heard a helicopter in the distance and hiked toward it, leaving Lucky behind.

But once in the helicopter, Canty was unable to lead officials back to Lucky.

The search resumed Saturday morning at 9. By 11 a.m., search and rescue deputies spotted Lucky from a trail at the bottom of a 2,300-foot ravine, officials said.

It took eight deputies five hours to haul out the 75-pound dog strapped to a litter.