Climbing school wins PETA award

Pisgah Climbing School, based in western North Carolina, received the Compassionate Business Award from PETA in recognition of a difficult rescue operation completed in October. The international animal rights organization presented the group with a framed certificate and vegan chocolates for its role in saving a dog that had been trapped on a remote rock face.

On October 19, the dog’s guardian and other onlookers attempted to reach the animal but were turned back by the steep, crumbling terrain of Ramsey Cliff. The dog had been stranded approximately 200 feet above the ground for three days without food or water. Karsten Delap, the founder of the climbing school, led a team of four climbers into the area, hiking half a mile to the base of the formation.

As night fell, the team began their ascent using headlamps. They navigated loose rocks and unstable boulders to reach the frightened animal. Delap described the operation as the most technical dog rescue he has managed in more than 20 years of experience. The climbers worked through the darkness to secure the dog in a harness and lower it safely to the ground.

Anna Marie Alewine, a certified climbing instructor at Pisgah Climbing School and a member of the rescue team, stated that the mission fell within their professional capabilities. "I said, 'Listen, I can probably figure out a way to get your dog down.' And so the guy was like, 'Okay, come on out,'" Alewine said. She noted that the team’s high level of training allowed them to stay focused despite the dark and nerve-wracking conditions.

Alewine emphasized that the success relied on their preparedness rather than rising to the occasion. "There's a saying: You don't always rise to the occasion; you fall to your level of training. So our level of training at the climbing school and as rescuers was so high that even though it was dark and nerve-racking, being able to fall to a really high level of training I think helped us stay on task, and ultimately have a successful rescue of the dog," she explained.

The dog was reunited with its relieved guardian immediately after the descent and is currently recovering from its ordeal. Ashley Frohnert, senior director of social media and influence at PETA, affirmed that the rescue was deserving of the award. "They went above and beyond to rescue this frightened and terrified dog, so desperate for help, and who would have otherwise lost his life after becoming stranded on this cliff," Frohnert said.

Frohnert added that the organization set a positive example for helping animals in danger. Alewine said the team was surprised by the recognition but appreciated the gesture. "It was amazing. It's not something that, you know, we expected to receive as a climbing school, but definitely was very heartwarming and very appreciated," she said.