Nine days without water or food, clinging to a rock ledge overlooking the void. He heard the helicopter searching for him and, out of fear, hid even further. In the countryside of Triei, southwest of the Bau Nuraxi nuragic complex, a hunting dog that on October 4th had chased mouflons and ended up in a ravine was rescued from death by Tortolì firefighters. They lowered themselves with ropes and, meter by meter, with the patience of those who know the Ogliastra rock well, reached the hound. His eyes were shining with fear and thirst. He didn't growl. He understood and let them approach.
In danger
It was a good morning for hunting dogs. Clean air, the smell of mastic and warm stone. Then a track, then another. A mouflon, maybe two, cutting across the ridge. He took off, instinctively. He followed the trail up to the escarpment, where the Triei mountain suddenly breaks and becomes a rock face. A drop, a landslide of limestone, and then nothing. He fell onto a ledge. Wide enough to stand, too narrow to climb back up. For nine days he remained there, with only his shadow slowly turning on the rock. His owner, a local hunter, searched everywhere for him, calling until he was speechless. Then the signal, his position more or less guessed. They even sent the fire department helicopter. They heard him coming, that enormous rumble ricocheting off the rock faces. But he, terrified, instead of revealing himself, slipped deeper into the darkest crevice of the rock. It seemed to be over.
The rescue
On Tuesday afternoon, the Tortolì firefighters arrived. No helicopter, no noise. Just ropes, harnesses, helmets, and slow steps. They saw the dog, dirty and very thin, exhausted after nine days of suffering. One of the firefighters tied him to his chest, tightening his harness, and gave the signal to climb back up. Rock upon rock, effort upon effort, until the shadow of the embankment became light again. Nine days later, the dog returned to the ground. He was shaking, but he was alive. With shining eyes and still trembling hands, the owner couldn't stop thanking the 115 emergency team: he thought he'd lost him forever, but they gave him back the dog to whom the hunter is so attached.
