RCMP officer, fire chief pull off 'rare and risky' dog rescue near Logan Lake, B.C.

A morning walk to a scenic lookout in the B.C. Interior last month took a treacherous turn for a 40-kilogram dog and her owners after two first responders carried out what the RCMP in a statement said was a "a rare and risky canine rescue."

Chevy and her owners were on a cliff-side trail April 28, overlooking Mimi Falls roughly 50 kilometres southwest of Kamloops when the dark chestnut, American bulldog terrier cross scrambled down a steep, rocky ledge.

She was unable to climb the three metres back to the safety of the trail.

"Chevy, who was a rescue herself, had become stuck in a precarious position overlooking the 30-meter deep rocky canyon," said RCMP Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey in a statement Friday.

But the situation playing out over Mimi Falls was becoming more serious. A bystander rushed to an area where there was cell service and called police.

"The ledge was slowly crumbling as Chevy moved around on it," said O'Donaghey.

"A large portion of it was dirt captured in a "web" of tree roots. There was still plenty of structure to hold the dog, but by the time Fire Chief Wilson arrived, you could see through portions to the rest of the cliff below."

Const. Kyle Vanditmars and Logan Lake Fire Chief Doug Wilson made the roughly 45-minute trek to the lookout to size up Chevy and her narrow perch.

By attaching climbing and rappelling gear to the foundation of a lookout platform, Wilson scaled down the rocks and fashioned a harness for the muscled, seven-year-old mutt.

Vanditmars then used another rope to pull Chevy up the cliff.

"The pair safely retrieved Chevy from the ledge and returned her to her family," said O'Donaghey, adding the dog was "co-operative and eager to get going" but not before spending some time nuzzling the two first responders.