An Unexpected Find
Virginia has some amazing cave systems for would-be adventurers to explore. That’s exactly what Dave Jackson and Jesse Rochette from their Colorado based business “CaveSim” decided to do.
The duo were exploring the caverns with a local couple when they found a little guy that needed some help around 40-feet underground. The leading member of the group found what appeared to be a dog deep underground.
They called Rochette and explained their peculiar find. After finding that the dog was still alive, they couldn’t just leave her down there.
Helping Her
The group wanted to do anything they could to help. Jackson was thankfully experienced in these kinds of rescues before, albeit with people and not animals.
The group looked around and, thankfully, had many items at their disposal. They got on the dog’s good side by sharing some of their salami, but she was still shivering from exposure.
Thankfully, they found some items scattered about that could well have saved the dog’s life. Among the items was an old hoodie abandoned in the cave that helped to keep the dog warm.
Getting Her Out
Next, they had to try to get her to drink water. None of them knew how long she had been down there. A trick they used to get her to drink was first lapping water from their supplies off of their fingers. After that, she was comfortable enough to drink from a bowl.
The group, being properly prepared for the caverns, had brought rescue supplies. They knew that now they had to get her out of the cave.
The group looked at what they had on hand. With some ingenuity, they lashed together a harness for the dog with some webbing and a tarp. Now, they just had to bring the dog up safely to the surface. It was no easy feat, at the dog appeared to not be able to use her back legs.
Not Over Yet
After three hours, the group was successful in getting the dog out of the cave. Everyone was in good spirits when it was done. Even the dog seemed relieved that she wasn’t in the cave anymore.
Even though the rescue was a success, it wasn’t over yet. She was taken to a veterinary hospital as fast as possible. After an examination, it was found that she had no broken bones. Even if she struggled to use her back legs, she was expected to make a full recovery.
The group that had rescued her nicknamed her “Spar-c” (Small Party Assisted Rescue – Canine). She was taken to Giles County Animal Shelter after the veterinary hospital discharged her.
The Future
That’s not the end of Sparsy’s story. The veterinarian hospital gave her medication to take, and she’s already made some amazing improvements. The vet had an update for Sparsy; they said that she was wagging her tail and already able to walk and that her medical expenses had been paid for.
With the viral attention Sparsy is getting, it’s no question that she’s going to be fought over as to who gets to adopt her. The shelter said that she’d be available for adoption soon. It’s still a mystery as to what actually happened to Sparsy.
No one has tried stepping up as her owner yet, and the man who owns the plot of land the caverns are in said he had never seen Sparsy before. The last update was in July 2024.
By now, we’re sure that Sparsy has already found a loving home. Going from an adventurous dog who explores caves to a faithful companion, we hope that Sparsy’s future is filled with treats and affection. After what she’s been through, she deserves it.
Source:
“Miracle” dog found alive over 40 feet down in Virginia cave, lured out by salami
Miracle pup survives days trapped in cave before being saved by spelunkers
