Dog chases raccoon 30 feet up a tree and can’t get down

No one believed the call that came to a San Mateo county, CA, emergency center that a dog had climbed 30 feet up a tree and couldn’t get down.

But it was true.

Guinness, a 40-pound Wheaten Terrier, had chased a raccoon into the branches of an oak tree and then froze when he realized where he was. His owner climbed into the tree but couldn’t reach him.

Firefighters improvised a harness, a rope system and a 36-foot ladder to reach him. Firefighter Tony Eggimann climbed the ladder, put Guinness in the harness and gave him a treat, before handing him down to his grateful owner.

Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said that in his 32 years he has rescued a lot of cats and pet birds but never a dog. He has had decades of experience working with highly trained search-and-rescue dogs, but has never seen a dog scale a tree like Guinness did.

Raccoon invaders can be quite motivating for little house dogs. Dogs in pursuit have no idea of where they are or where they are going.

The owners have now put a fence around the tree.

Source

Dramatis Personae

Misty the alpha Poodle
In her spare time
she studies quantum theory and
reads Proust
Timmy the stud muffin
aka
“The Jaws of Death”
“The Silver Assassin”
Chamois the generic dog
The world’s only
Miniature Albanian Wolfhound
because we were tired
of telling people she was a mutt
Tudee the Rescue
Half Chihuahua, half linebacker
Found in a busy intersection
telling the cars that
she was there first
Taki
A loving cat who came off the streets
and into our lives
and never left

Comments

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Poor little guy! I'm glad that this had a happy ending, though.

Posted by: Jen | June 28, 2012 at 01:22 PM

I needed cheering up and this did the job. Thanks!

Posted by: threecollie | June 28, 2012 at 01:40 PM

They always say terriers are determined!! So glad it had a happy ending. :-)

Posted by: Donna and the Dogs | June 28, 2012 at 02:39 PM

Adrenalin makes you do strange things! 30 feet is mighty high up. I would have frozen too.

Posted by: geogia little pea | June 28, 2012 at 03:28 PM

That is one cool dog.

Posted by: Foleymonsternadpocket | June 28, 2012 at 07:28 PM

Unreal! Glad that he made it down safely :)

Posted by: Heather | June 29, 2012 at 08:02 AM

OMD I've never heard of such a thing!

I wonder what would happen out here? I've heard the fire department won't even rescue a cat from the tree anymore because of the liability issue. Sad, sad, sad.

Posted by: Jodi | June 29, 2012 at 08:58 AM

Poor Guinness. It was a spur of the moment thing... haven't we all done something like that when we were young and impetuous?

Posted by: cube | June 29, 2012 at 10:11 AM

Now THAT's a story I have to share with my friends who have Wheatens. Just crazy!

Posted by: MelF | June 29, 2012 at 06:33 PM

I noticed that Dexter doesn't run up trees any more..but then his ass is to fat for him to scurry up there like he used to.

Posted by: yellowdoggranny | June 30, 2012 at 12:12 PM

Poor dog. He must have climbed up and might be afraid of height...

Posted by: health for cats | July 02, 2012 at 01:56 PM

He must have been so excited he didn't realize he was in the tree!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Posted by: Linda | July 02, 2012 at 02:45 PM