Mali, a Bernese mountain dog, vanished from her German owners while close to the Arranmore Island lighthouse in County Donegal on August 16th. Her owners and the islanders conducted an intensive search for several days, fearing that she might have tumbled off the nearby daunting cliffs. However, more than two weeks after her disappearance, Mali was glimpsed halfway down the cliffside by a group of fishermen. Kieran O’Donnell, the recently appointed Coxswain of Arranmore RNLI Lifeboat, is seen in a compelling video guiding the dog to safety. Mali had apparently stayed alive by consuming rainfall, as she was anchored on a slim ledge on the cliff face.
Sarah Recinos Ralda, Mali’s owner, is a resident of Trier in Germany and she expressed amazement at her pet’s discovery and rescue after such a lengthy time, admitting it to be “baffling”. Stating that they were stunned, Sarah confessed to having almost given up on Mali. All she hoped was that if her dog had indeed ridden off the cliff, she had died swiftly and without experiencing any suffering.
Sarah, who was spending her summer vacation in Ireland with her husband and two kids, described the aftermath of Mali’s disappearance as emotionally taxing and rather intense. Over Facebook she used to update the community about the ongoing search efforts and by August 22nd, she speculated three likely circumstances: either Mali was lost on the island, which she thought to be highly improbable; or she had plummeted into the sea; or, she was situated on a ledge, concluding that despite lack of audibility in Mali’s barking due to weather circumstances, there could still be a possibility due to the fact that the entire cliff was yet to be covered in the search.
On a eventful Saturday evening, John Paul Baska, the owner of North West Charters based in Burtonport, was out fishing near the lighthouse on Arranmore when he heard a peculiar sound. One of his companions claimed he could hear the bark of a dog. At first, John Paul dismissed it as a jest.
However, soon they spotted a dog, Mali, stranded on a cliff face. John Paul quickly alerted the Glenn Head Coast Guard station, who immediately got in touch with the lifeboat. The team discovered that Mali’s harness had got caught on the face of the cliff. While this snag may have hindered her ability to climb to safety, it might, however, have stopped her from plunging further down. The ledge was narrow but provided shelter, and the availability of rainwater pools likely helped the canine avoid severe dehydration.
After the successful rescue operation, Mali was returned to her owner on the docking area opposite side of the island. The reunited scene evoked tears not only from the owner but also from locals who had gathered around. John Paul noted that despite her precarious experience, Mali seemed to be in excellent spirits.
Sarah, the owner, affirmed that Mali exhibited no signs of fever and was eating heartily, albeit they were now monitoring her food intake more closely. She also noted that the favourable weather conditions of the past few days had possibly played a significant role in the successful rescue of Mali. The owner added that Mali seemed thrilled to be safe and sound. Sarah and her family are set to go back home in a fortnight.