Two starving Chihuahuas discovered trapped deep under a boulder in a Riverside hiking area are recovering from their ordeal and should fully regain their health, according to a Riverside County Department of Animal Services official.
Agency spokesman John Welsh said the two tiny, underweight male Chihuahuas were located on the eastern edge of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park.
A woman picking up trash along one of the trails heard the canines whimpering and barking about 9:30 a.m. Saturday in a crevice between rocks on a hillside and alerted a hiker, who tried, but failed, to pull the dogs out, Welsh said.
The hiker, Sharzad Weiler of Riverside, and another trekker, identified only as “Mike,” made several benign attempts to entice the Chihuahuas nearer the surface, using doggy treats and bringing their own pets to the spot to see if the smaller dogs might want to interact.
“We tried different ways to get them out, but they were too scared,” Weiler said. “And they were just too far back for us to reach them.”
Two animal control officers reached the site about 11 a.m. and succeeded in using a leash to snare one of the Chihuahuas and extricate the canine from the roughly 6-foot-deep hole, according to Welsh.
He said one of the officers had to take off his shirt and gear to enable him to plunge his arm far enough into the crevice and use a snaring device to get a grip on the other dog and bring him up.
Both pooches were extremely underweight and had obvious signs of dental decay but were otherwise OK.
“I’m very happy they’re safe now,” Weiler said. “We were so afraid they would get eaten by a coyote or bit by a rattlesnake.”
The dogs are receiving veterinary care at the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley.
“Who really knows how long these dogs were in that hole,” said Animal Services Director Rob Miller. “Thank goodness these park visitors were so kind to get involved and assist these Chihuahuas. We love community members such as these.”
Welsh said that if no one claims the dogs in the next few weeks, they will be available for adoption, though he noted that the Department of Animal Services will seek to have them adopted as a pair.
— City News Service