Stranger Than Fiction: South Carolina Firefighters Rescue a Dog Stuck Up a Tree

Since when do dogs climb trees? One catlike Dachshund was stuck for hours, and he's not talking about how he got there!

As the old bit of journalism wisdom goes: If a dog bites a man, it's not news, but if a man bites a dog, it is. In a similar vein, if a cat gets stuck in a tree, we're not going to write about it, but if a dog gets stuck in a tree, it's hard to resist.

Especially a cute little long-haired Dachshund.

Especially one who gets stuck in a tree in a cemetery at night.

Cappy and crew shortly after his rescue (Photo: Beaufort Gazette) Little Cappy's owner was frantic most of the night after she realized at 6 p.m. that Cappy was nowhere to be found. She searched everywhere, got friends involved, put out a call for help on Facebook. One of her friends saw her plea on Facebook around midnight, and felt terrible for Cappy's owner, Mimi Austin.

"I have four dogs of my own, and I wouldn't have been able to sleep if that was me," Kim Bonturi said in an article in the Beaufort Gazette. She grabbed her friend, a flashlight, and her golden retriever, and they eventually ended up at the Beaufort National Cemetery, near Austin's and Cappy's house.

As they explored, they started hearing barking. Austin, who was on the porch of her house, heard the familiar woofs and came running to join them. They checked and checked the brush and just couldn't find the little fella. I love this next line from the Beaufort Gazette article.

"The women started getting frustrated with searching in the dark, when two Beaufort police officers stopped by to see what three women, a dog and a car were doing in the rear of the cemetery."

That would be a little odd to see at around 1 a.m. The officers shined their powerful flashlights all about and finally located Cappy, who was sitting on a limb of a big oak, about 12 feet off the ground.

Their 8-foot ladder was no help, even with an officer's outstretched arms, so they called in the firefighters, who got their ladder right beside the dog. Before a firefighter plucked him out of the tree, Cappy covered his face with kisses. He must have been very grateful for the rescue.

How Cappy got up there is anyone's guess. One comment in the Gazette said that the only way he could get up there on his own would be to sit on an acorn and wait for it to grow. LOL! Chances are that didn't happen. What do you think? Could he have run up a big oak on his own if he got a really good running start? Could it have been some weird Twilight-Zone-like cemetery situation, where he kind of got beamed into the tree by a ghost? (What was the name of that episode with the cemetery? Night Call, right? Gives me shivers!) Or do you just think some creep put him up there?

The poor dog was so thirsty when he got down that he guzzled a big bowl of water. From now on, we hope Cappy keeps all four paws firmly planted on the ground. Well, maybe three. He can do a little rear-leg tree salute next time he passes by the oak that held him captive for so long.

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Dog fighting allegations at South Carolina shelter

Chesterfield County, S.C., is  situated near the North Carolina border. Like much of the state, it’s mostly rural. The sheriff’s office runs the shelter … sort of.

Truth be told, I’d question whether anyone runs the shelter in Chesterfield County. New allegations are surfacing that dog fighting operations are taking place at the shelter. You read that right.

However, this isn’t the first hint of serious issues. It gets so much worse. An investigation is already underway, looking into charges that shelter workers were using dogs for target practice at the local landfill. According to the Pet Rescue Examiner,  four employees have been placed on administrative leave, though no arrests have been made…yet. (Thanks to Fox Charlotte and WBTV for the links.)

Memphis blues: YesBiscuit has been keeping an eye on the happenings at the Memphis, Tenn., animal “shelter.” It’s not only not getting better, the video proof of the worsening situation is mounting faster than the body count. As Mikken astutely pointed out in the comments following the sickening pictures,

These people have CAMERAS on them and they KNOW IT and THIS is how they behave?

WTF?

Well put. Memphis remains thoroughly broken, with no fix in sight.

Short sighted Worcester: In my neck of the woods, Worcester, Mass., enacted short-sighted (not to mention lazy) breed-specific dog rules on Friday.  Above and beyond the existing city dog licensing fee of $17-20, if you own a pit bull, you have to fork over an extra fifty bucks. According to the Worcester Telegram, that’s not all.

The targeted dogs must be leashed and muzzled, or placed in a secure temporary enclosure, when taken off the owner’s premises.

It also will require consent of a landlord to keep a pit bull on the premises; placement of a warning sign informing the public that a pit bull is on the premises; and notification of animal control officers or the police by owners whenever their pit bull injures or threatens any person or animal.

Meanwhile, the powers that be in Worcester have exhibited no interest in researching whether the rules they’re enacting will have any benefit. They just know what they know. Heaven help them if/when a child is injured by a dog not covered by the new rules.

Sutter’s budget plan: A couple months ago I introduced you to Sutter Brown, California’s First Dog. I’m pleased to report that Sutter is not only working hard, but he has a plan in place to assist in reducing the state’s $26 billion budget deficit. Go to Sutter’s website, buy a piece of clothing, and $3 from each sale will move the state closer to solvency. Occasional Pet Connection commenter Jennifer Fearing of the HSUS is even quoted in the KABC-TV story.

“I confess. I’m kind of a super fan,” said Jennifer Fearing, who bought a hooded sweatshirt and coffee mug, which means the deficit just shrank by $6.

“I genuinely think it’s a fun way to chip in to the budget, even though, let’s be honest, it’s fumes compared to the huge hole that we have,” said Fearing.

True, Jennifer, but a picture of an adorable Corgi never goes out of style, so there’s that.

Top dog! Across the pond, cats have traditionally far outnumbered dogs as Great Britain’s top pet. As the London Daily Telegraph reports, not for long.

Bad teeth? You’re going to jail: A story from Dogster might provoke some discussion. A couple in Vancouver has been charged with animal cruelty after neglecting their terrier’s oral health so badly that local officials ordered them to get the dog treated. They refused. How bad was the situation? When the dental work was finally done, the dog needed 14 teeth pulled. I’m interested in your opinion on this. Do you think it’s reasonable to prohibit the owners from ever owning animals again? How about locking them up for six months?

Big save for a little kitty: A happy outcome for a lucky kitteh in Duluth, Minn. … from ninety feet in the air. Details courtesy of the Duluth News Tribune, and thanks to The Other Pat for the tip.

New kind of home: What happens to pets when an elderly owner passes away, or a younger person dies and no family or friends are available to care for the pet? According to MSN, the answer can be seen in a new brand of retirement home in College Station, Tex. It’s not free (or even cheap), but it shows there are always options available.

Greetings, Wizard: It’s been a while since I gave a shout out to my favorite photographer in the equine world. Sarah K. Andrew won’t be riding for a little while (hope you feel better soon, Sarah!), but her eye is as great as ever, and I love the gaze from her beloved Wizard.

Dog eat dog world: The NCAA men’s basketball national championship game tonight pits the University of Connecticut against Butler University at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Without yet knowing the winner, I can guarantee tonight is going to be historic. How? Because the UConn Huskies facing the Butler Bulldogs marks the first time in the history of the Final Four that the National Championship game pits two schools with canine mascots. Go Huskies!

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Image credit: Top screenshot, Fox Charlotte.

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