Dog rescued with help of frankfurter after being stuck in rock crevice for five days

Cave rescue team member had to squeeze through tight gap and use hot dog to free animal

In this photo provided by New York State Parks on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, Ulster County SPCA Executive Director Gina Carbonari, right, and SPCA Supervisor Chris West, left, check a rescued a 12-year-old dog named Liza, found trapped after five days deep inside the narrow, rocky crevice at Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Kerhonkson, N.Y. (AP)

A dog was rescued after being stuck in a narrow rock crevice at a state park near New York for five days.

The 12-year-old dog, Liza, ran off from her owner during a walk at Minnewaska State Park Preserve and tumbled into the crevice.

Park staff members were unable to get into the narrow crevice to rescue the barking dog, who went days without food or water.

Eventually the New Jersey Initial Response Team, a volunteer group specialising in cave rescue, were called in to help.

Members of the team were able to descend into the crevice far enough to use a plumbing camera to locate Liza.

This photo provided by New York State Parks on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, shows a 12-year-old dog named Liza being viewed on a plumbing camera in a crevice in Kerhonkson, N.Y. (AP)

Rescuer Jessica Van Ord, the team’s smallest member was able to squeeze herself through the passage and used a hot dog to tempt the pet to put its head through a catch pole.

Another member was then able to close the loop and secure Liza.

“This was a tight vertical fissure leading to an even tighter horizontal crack. Only Jessica Van Ord, our smallest team member, was able to squeeze and contort herself more than 40 feet from the surface to reach the dog,” said Mark Dickey, chief of the response team.

This photo provided by New York State Parks on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, shows Jessica Van Ord entering a fissure to rescue a 12-year-old dog named Liza, found trapped after five days deep inside the narrow, rocky crevice at Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Kerhonkson, N.Y. (AP)

Park officials say the rescued dog was hungry and thirsty but otherwise in good health.