Dogs escape cliff on North Whidbey before help arrives

The two dogs sat, tails wagging merrily and mouths open as though smiling at their newfound friends. Their coats were speckled with mud and they were worn out from the morning’s adventures.

The unclaimed dogs were stranded on a cliff on Polnell Shores Drive Thursday morning, but had worked themselves back to safety before North Whidbey Fire and Rescue arrived, according to Henry Vander Haak, operations chief.

Vander Haak stayed on the scene to call Animal Control to pick up the dogs.

Nearby residents Debbie Cornett and Paula Rounds said they heard the dogs earlier that morning. The dogs were halfway over the cliff at the time.

“I saw them and came to get my husband, but when I came back, one of the dogs had worked itself back up the cliff. The other came up five minutes later,” Cornett said.

Cornett and Rounds surmised it was their friendly voices that got the dogs to come up.

Now, the dogs sat comfortably at her feet on leashes. Both were medium-sized and friendly. Neighborhood members gathered to pet the contented canines.

Cornett and Rounds had seen the dogs around the neighborhood for two weeks but didn’t know who the owners were.

“They’re in too good of shape with all this rain to have been in the wild for two weeks,” Rounds said. She thought someone in the neighborhood might have let the dogs go.

One dog had a rabies tag, so they called its vet to find the owner’s name.

While waiting for Animal Control to arrive, Cornett walked the dogs to her house to give them water and shade.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.