NEED TO KNOW

• A 16-year-old lab mix sneaked away from his owner, stumbled on ice and slid backward down a cliff in Virginia

• The moment left the dog’s owner feeling “helpless” before officials in Giles County stepped in to rescue the senior dog

• “They put it all on the line,” the owner said in a statement

A dog owner felt “helpless” after his senior dog fell down an icy cliff.

The canine, a 16-year-old lab mix named Oakley, sneaked away from his owner, stumbled on ice and slid backward down a cliff in Giles County, Va., on Jan. 28, according to CBS affiliate WDBJ7.

In a statement to the local station, the unidentified owner of the dog explained the feeling of seeing Oakley fall off the icy cliff. 

“I was helpless, watching my dog slide and having no way to reach him. I thought he was gone forever. They fought so hard to bring my baby home,” the owner said, referring to Giles County Animal Control (GCAC) and other rescue personnel who aided in rescuing Oakley.

GCAC Chief Bill Ahern and Officer Jacob Taylor spearheaded the rescue effort for the senior dog after receiving a call for help.

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The duo called John Butler, a drone pilot for Giles County Emergency Services, to assist in locating the fallen dog who was now missing.

“He was able to see all the way down at the base of the cliff; he was able to see some dog tracks,” Ahern told WDBJ7.

At this point, they recruited the Virginia Department of Transportation to request a road grader to make a pathway toward the dog tracks.

“Right before they actually entered the tracks, they saw the dog down there and were able to call it and get him into the truck,” Ahern recalled of the heartwarming rescue. “And we just couldn’t believe when they said, ‘He’s OK, and we’re coming home with him.’ ”

Expressing gratitude to the team for rescuing Oakley — uninjured — the pet owner said in the statement, “They put it all on the line and went above what a job description would list as their responsibilities and duties.”

“I would like to thank them again from the bottom of my heart,” the owner continued.

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