Dog Shockingly Survives 50-Foot Fall into Indiana Cave, And Walks Away Unscathed

A coonhound named Remi survived a 50-foot fall into an Indiana cave and was rescued uninjured by conservation officers and a local caver.

Indiana DNR Division of Law Enforcement/Facebook

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A coonhound named Remi survived a 50-foot fall into a cave in Indiana and was rescued uninjured

Indiana Conservation Officers and a local caver used a mechanical haul system to safely retrieve the dog

Officials warn that off-leash dogs in rural areas face risks like hidden cave openings and unstable terrain

A coonhound is back home safe after a harrowing 50-foot fall into a cave in Indiana.

The dog, named Remi, tumbled into a pit on private property in Harrison County, Ind., on Friday, Aug. 14, according to WAVE. Her owner immediately contacted Indiana Conservation Officers (ICO) for help. The agency sent the ICO Cave Rescue team, along with experienced local caver Chris Schotter, to conduct the specialized rescue.

Schotter and an ICO rescuer descended into the dark, 50-foot cave to secure Remi, who was uninjured despite the massive drop. Outside, other rescuers set up a mechanical haul system at the surface. Together, the group successfully pulled Remi back to safety. Officials praised the quick coordination and teamwork of everyone involved in bringing her home.

Remi’s steep fall and her improbable injury-free landing echo other dramatic canine cave rescues. In April 2023, a hound named Shaker fell between 50 and 75 feet into a cave near Bean Station, Tenn., after catching the scent of a raccoon and chasing it into a wooded area, owner Jacob Reed told WVLT at the time.

Indiana DNR Division of Law Enforcement/Facebook

“He got in there, and when we first found him he was just laying here he couldn’t get up or nothing,” Reed recalled.

Volunteer crews from the Bean Station and Rutledge fire departments, along with the Tennessee Mine Rescue Association, used trees as anchors to rappel down, harness the dog, and bring him up. Like Remi, Shaker emerged unharmed.

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Wildlife and rescue officials note that openings in the ground, sharp ledges, and unstable terrain can pose hidden dangers to curious dogs, especially off-leash animals that tend to run ahead of their owners in rural or natural areas.

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