Newport firefighters’ rescue of woman and dog from cliff gets applause from PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sent the Newport Beach Fire Department a Compassionate Fire Department Award after firefighters rescued a woman and her 5-month-old puppy from a steep cliff in the Back Bay last week.
Firefighters were called to Upper Newport Bay just after 4 p.m. Nov. 6 to help 27-year-old Ashley Engle and her dog Luna, who were stuck 50 feet above the ground.
Engle told authorities that Luna, a Rhodesian ridgeback and boxer mix, became spooked and ran off earlier in the day while the pair were taking a walk in the nature preserve. After searching for hours, Engle found Luna, who had climbed up the side of the cliff and become stranded on a foot-wide ledge. Engle climbed after her and comforted the pup before realizing she couldn’t get down from the cliff without falling, said Battalion Chief Jeff Boyles, one of 10 fire officials who were at the scene.
A friend of Engle’s threw a utility rope down the side of the cliff so the woman could steady herself before firefighters arrived, Boyles said.
“When she said her foot was falling asleep and asked how much longer it was going to take, I was like, ‘We need to pick up the pace,’” Boyles said. “They were able to lift her up pretty quickly after that. Rope rescues are something our guys are trained on and take very seriously.”
Engle was stuck for about 40 minutes before a firefighter was able to rappel down the cliff and place a harness on Engle so she and Luna could be lifted to safety.
Though firefighters complete similar rescues several times a year, the addition of a dog made it more challenging, Boyles said.
“You’re never sure about the temperament of the dog,” he said. “You can communicate with a person and see if that person is stable. Typically when you get behind a person on a cliff and you say, ‘I’ve got you and I’m going to put a harness around you,’ that person understands. But a dog isn’t going to understand what you’re doing. You don’t know if [the dog] is going to turn around and bite you or run away.”
In response to the rescue, PETA sent the department the framed award along with vegan cookies and a guide to help firefighters stay in shape while eating a plant-based diet.
PETA also is sending vegan cookies to Engle, plus a new leash, a harness and a box of vegan dog treats for Luna.
“This dog is lucky to have such a caring and brave guardian, and thanks to the Newport Beach Fire Department’s determination and know-how, both of them made it safely home,” PETA Senior Director Colleen O’Brien said in a statement. “PETA hopes their story will inspire others to come to the aid of animals in need.”
