People in the water are the main rescue targets of the Coast Guard, but in June 2023, they saved one very lucky German shepherd named Dory.
The dog and owner were hiking along Oregon's Ecola State Park cliff, a remote section trail with a extreme vertical cliff leading 300 feet down to a rocky beach. The dog fell off this cliff.
According to the Coast Guard, the rocky beach below is accessible only by rappelling down from the hiking trail — or by helicopter.
A helicopter crew dropped rescue swimmer Clayton Maidow with a rescue basket, just as the waves began to lap at the dog. The dog remained calm as Maidow got her into the basket for the long haul up to the helicopter and then to land.
A grateful owner took the dog to the veterinarian and was astonished to find the dog had no broken bones or serious injuries from her ordeal.