Hiker tries to save dog, both end up rescued by HFD

WAIALAE, Hawaii (KHON2) — Weekend hikes are a pastime that many in Hawaiʻi enjoy.

But, sometimes, those hikes end up taking a turn that most do not expect.

On Sunday, April 15, the Honolulu Fire Department said they received a 911 call at 10:36 a.m.

The call indicated that a dog had become lost on the Wiliwilinui Trail in Waiʻalae.

The dog was a 45-pound, mixed breed that was hiking on a leash with its female handler for two hours. The hiker told HFD that the dog fell off the trail.

Once the dog had fallen, the hiker could not see it; but she could hear it.

HFD used geolocation to determine that the hiker and her dog were located approximately two miles from the trailhead. Air 1 then performed a visual confirmation of their location.

HFD said that once they arrived, they discovered that the hiker had attempted her own rescue of the dog and found herself off the trail and unable to get back.

The hiker had somehow become situated on the slope of the ridge when she tried to rescue her dog and had to be rescued first.

HFD said that more rescue personnel had to be inserted at the scene in order to “assist with setting up the anchors and rope rescue system to hoist the hiker and dog back on the trail to safety”.

The hiker was airlifted back to the trail at 11:43 a.m.; her dog was located about 40-feet below the trail along the mountain and was airlifted to safety at 11:59 a.m.

Once both were back on the trail, the hiker secured her dog with a leash; and they descended the trail on their own.

HFD said that the American Kennel Club recommends that you keep your dog(s) on a short leash while hiking for safety, courtesy and control.

They said that off-leash dogs are at a higher risk of disappearing out of sight. This can make it more difficult to control your pet(s) or to prevent them from getting into trouble.