Carl’s head emerged from a duffel bag at the top of a Tennessee bluff, and a cooler offered the first small comfort: melted ice water. The 30-pound dog had spent roughly 17 hours stranded on a narrow ledge about 120 feet below, beyond the safe reach of his waiting owner.
The five-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo had been visiting a friend’s farm off Timber Ridge Road in Dickson County with his owner, Scott Grissom. On Thursday evening, Carl swam in a creek and ran with other dogs before the group headed toward a lookout point on the property.
When it was time to leave, Carl was missing. Grissom and the others called for him for about 10 minutes before hearing him somewhere below the bluff. Exactly how he reached the ledge was never established, though fire officials believed he may have slipped from the edge.
The terrain left little room for an improvised recovery. Fire officials estimated that the bluff drops about 200 feet from its top to Jones Creek. The rescue area included a sheer wall of roughly 70 feet and another steep section where ropes were required.
As darkness settled in, neighbor Bert Echols searched with a drone from about 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Carl was eventually located near a small cave on the cliff face. That aerial reconnaissance established where the dog was, but reaching him would require trained people and a technical rope system.
The wait carried a private weight for Grissom. Carl had been his constant companion for five years following the death of Grissom’s wife, joining him for fishing, swimming and other activities. “He’s been my partner. He’s my best friend,” Grissom said.
A rescue built around ropes and coordination
The following morning, firefighters from the City of Dickson, Ashland City, Charlotte and Harpeth Ridge fire departments assembled at the bluff. Nine first responders participated, Fire Marshal Mike Osman said, with help from Grissom and the property owner.
Members of Dickson Fire’s Special Operations Response Team used a high-angle rope rescue system to descend. Osman said the drone reconnaissance helped rescuers identify Carl’s position and plan their route before anyone went over the edge.
When the rescuers reached the ledge, Carl did not make them chase him across the precarious ground. “He was able to jump right into the arms of our guys. It took very little coaxing to get in there,” Osman said.
They secured Carl inside the duffel bag and hauled him up the bluff. The operation illustrates why a dog stranded on a cliff or steep embankment can require more than determination from an owner. The Oregon Humane Specialized Technical Animal Rescue Team, which handles similar incidents, uses rope systems, climbing equipment and high-angle extrication for animals in places that cannot otherwise be accessed safely.
For owners, the practical lesson is restraint: steep terrain that requires ropes and specialized access should be left to an appropriately trained rescue authority rather than approached as an improvised retrieval. A drone may help establish an animal’s location and guide planning, as it did for Carl, but it cannot replace the equipment and coordinated team needed to descend, secure an animal and bring everyone back up.
Why a normal appearance is not the final check
Carl appeared remarkably unharmed after reaching the top, but he was still examined by a veterinarian. Grissom said Carl received medication for pain and rest and had no serious injuries.
That examination matters after any suspected fall. Veterinary guidance from VCA Animal Hospitals notes that some injuries may not become apparent for hours or days. Owners should watch closely for changes such as reluctance to stand or walk, pain when lying down or rising, decreased appetite, weakness or difficulty breathing. Serious symptoms or signs of decline require prompt veterinary attention.
Prevention near steep ground can be simple but consequential. VCA advises keeping dogs leashed while hiking or surveying an area beforehand for hazardous ledges, ditches and ravines.
Carl went home with Grissom without serious injuries. After the overnight search, the ropes and the long haul up the bluff, the dog was once again beside the person who calls him his partner and best friend. Have you ever adopted a dog with a story like this? Share it in the comments.
By Jake Patterson — Freelance feature writer and former animal-shelter volunteer focused on rescue, adoption, and second-chance dog stories.
