November 5, 2018
From Laura Brigman, WLOS.com
A hunting dog stranded since Saturday deep in Transylvania County was finally reunited with her owners Monday morning.
More than two dozen rescue staff pitched in for the effort.
Princess was sent out to hunt for bear, but on Monday, the hunt was on for Princess. To reach the isolated spot where she was trapped, it was an hour-long ATV ride followed by a 45-minute downhill hike to the rock cliff..
On Monday, responders from five agencies journeyed to a rock face above Windy Falls in rural Hogback Township, near Gorges State Park, as News 13 tagged along.
Once it was time to hike to the hillside, Princess’ owners, Trevor and Kimberly Burrell, helped crews pinpoint her exact location.
Princess is a prize-winning pup. “She’s a Plott female bear dog, and she’s first in the state,” the Burrells told us.
The challenge was just beginning once rescuers finally made the nearly 2-hour journey to where Princess waited.
“It was a good 80-100 foot drop below where we were standing,” said Ryan Hyman of the Transylvania County Rescue Squad.
Chief Carmon West of Lake Toxaway Fire & Rescue said rescuers had to use a high-angle team to retrieve Princess.
When we asked rescuers why they put their lives on the line for the effort, Hyman had a simple response.
“If it was my dog, I would want someone to do the same,” he said.
The command post for the operation was at N.C. 281 South and Brewer Road.
Five agencies worked together to retrieve Princess: Lake Toxaway Fire & Rescue, Rosman Fire & Rescue, Connestee Fire & Rescue, Transylvania County Animal Services and Transylvania County Emergency Management.