How premium droëwors helped save Sable the dog from a cliffside ordeal
A stranded dog, a delicate rope rescue and a joyful reunion, Sable is safely back home after a cliffside ordeal at Hillcrest Estate quarry.
Image: Supplied
Sable quite literally barked up the wrong ledge when a routine walk turned into a long, anxious night for one Cape Town family.
The two-and-a-half-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer had been chasing dassies at Hillcrest Estate quarry on Saturday when his curiosity got the better of him. Scrambling about 20 metres up an 80-metre rock face, Sable soon found himself stuck on a narrow ledge, unable to find his way back down.
When he did not return home, his owner went searching and eventually spotted him, stranded and unable to descend.
The alarm was raised at about 8.45pm, with a Durbanville Fire and Rescue crew first on scene. After assessing the situation, additional resources were called in, including a technical rescue vehicle, specialised rope equipment and teams from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR).
As darkness set in, crews worked to set up a complex rope rescue system to reach the stranded dog. Anchor systems were established using nearby structures, including a shipping container positioned back from the cliff edge.
A K9 Search and Rescue Association of South Africa operator was then lowered down to Sable, followed by a City Fire and Rescue specialist, as rescuers carefully worked their way down the cliff face.
WSAR spokesperson David Nel said the moment required both skill and patience.
“After a short round of negotiations, helped along by some premium droëwors, Sable decided to cooperate with his rescuers,” Nel said.
Once secured in a specialised harness and tethered to his rescuer, Sable was slowly lowered down the cliff to waiting teams below, where his relieved family watched on.
The operation concluded around 1.20am on Sunday, ending hours of worry with a joyful reunion.
The rescue mirrors a steady stream of mountain and cliff incidents reported across Cape Town, where WSAR teams are frequently called out to assist hikers and, at times, stranded animals on steep terrain. In previous cases on Table Mountain, rescuers have used similar rope systems to retrieve dogs trapped in ravines.
Nel praised the coordinated effort between teams, saying the outcome reflected the spirit behind their work.
“Safe My Mate applies whether they walk on two legs or four,” he said.