Sydney operation that rescued the puppy trapped on the 13th floor

How would you feel if you saw your pet dog fighting a battle between life and death on a narrow, few-inch-wide ledge outside the 13th floor of a skyscraper? Such an extremely emotional and thrilling story was heard yesterday (27) at the 'Lighthouse by Meriton' apartment complex in Dee Why, Northern Beaches region, Sydney, Australia.

This small dog named 'Ellbie', a two-year-old terrier who had been missing for several days, was trapped outside the 13th floor and was safely rescued by firefighters after a very risky operation.

The sudden disappearance of this pet last weekend had become a major problem for its owner as well as other residents of the building. Since security camera footage in the building did not show the dog leaving, everyone was searching diligently, and flyers for missing pets had been distributed throughout the area.

However, this mystery was solved thanks to a drone photographer who assisted in the search. Around 1:00 PM on Monday, when Ellbie was spotted by the drone camera curled up in a small space outside a glass window, high above the main road, the despondent owner's hopes were rekindled. By the time Fire and Rescue NSW and the police immediately responded and arrived at the scene, a large crowd had already gathered below the building.

However, due to the nature of the dog's location, the rescue operation was not as easy as imagined. A fire truck ladder could not reach the 13th floor, and attempting to open the window from inside could scare the dog, causing it to fall. For this reason, a specialist rescue officer had to make the dangerous decision to rappel down from the roof of the 17-story building with the aid of a rope.

Around 3:30 PM, the firefighter, dangling from the rope, reached the dog, carefully secured Ellbie, and safely handed him through the window to the other officers inside, amidst the joyous cheers of the crowd gathered below. The story of little Ellbie, who faced death by starvation for several days, highlights to the world the value of another priceless life, rewritten through the synergy of technology and an unseen humanitarian operation.