Firefighters rescue pit bull puppy that fell off Sonoma County cliff

Sonoma County firefighters early Wednesday rescued a 35-pound pit bull puppy that fell off a cliff after its owners pulled over along the highway to give the dog a potty break, according to the Timber Cove Fire Protection District.

A man and a woman were driving south on ?Highway 1 Tuesday evening when they stopped about 8 miles north of Jenner to let their dog Marshmallow defecate, said Nichole Lynn, a Timber Cove Fire training officer. Marshmallow’s owners, whose names were not released, were unable to get a leash on the dog before it jumped out of the car and slid down a steep embankment, Lynn said.

The blue-nose pit bull is only 2 or 3 months old at most, according to Lynn.

Timber Cove firefighters received the call at ?10:12 p.m. and set up a rescue system of ropes, pulleys and other equipment. They were assisted in the rescue effort by the Monte Rio Fire Protection District, Lynn said. Lynn and Scott Kwon, another Timber Cove firefighter, went over the edge and searched for about two hours. The firefighters had a general idea of where Marshmallow went off the cliff, but the dog was not making any noise, so officers searched a broad section of the hillside in the dark. Lynn said she went down about 250 feet before she found Marshmallow sheltered in a bush.

“She was a little cold, definitely scared and (had) just a few minor scrapes to her face and her nose from sliding down the rock.

But she was super friendly and gave lots of kisses and cuddles all the way up the hill,” Lynn said. “She was a super sweet little puppy.”

After bringing Marshmallow back up to the highway, Lynn said, the dog gave kisses to its owners and “loved on everybody” before the drivers, who were from Mendocino County, went on their way.

You can reach Staff Writer J.D. Morris at 707-521-5337 or jd.morris@pressdemocrat.com. ?On Twitter @thejdmorris.