Cavers help rescue lost Illinois hound

MEDORA, -- Dogs are renowned for loyalty to their owners, but sometimes it works the other way, too.

Just ask Jared Gamboe, who stood vigil outside of a cave that he believed his dog was trapped inside for three days.

An avid raccoon hunter, Gamboe went out to the wooded area near Indian Lake Road in Delhi last Sunday night to hunt with two of his buddies and four dogs altogether. When the hunters unleashed their dogs, two ran off in one direction and two ran off in another.

Gamboe's 2-year-old Treeing Walker coonhound, Threat, was one of the dogs that boldly ran off in pursuit of raccoons.

"Within 15 minutes, I knew something was wrong, because I lost the signal from Threat's GPS collar, and Paul (Young) lost contact with his dog, Cassie, at the same time," Gamboe said.

A 65-pound dog, Threat is extremely muscular for his breed, with a more slender build than a Labrador retriever and the spotted black, brown and white coloring of a beagle.

Known for having a particularly close relationship with Threat, Gamboe can hear the dog bark for him up to a mile away.

Hunting for sport only, the dogs chase raccoons up a tree and bark to let their owners know that they have successfully tracked an animal; no killing is involved.

Determined to find their dogs, the men stayed on the scene searching for them, finally locating a soaking wet, mud-covered Cassie at 3 a.m.

"I felt I owed it to Threat to keep looking for him," Gamboe said. "We've probably gone hunting together 200 times this past year, and he's a one-person dog."

Resolved to find Threat or at least to find out what happened to him, Gamboe returned to the area just a few hours later.

Gamboe calculated that Threat could have gone only approximately 200 yards before the signal dropped, so he focused his rescue efforts within this radius.

While combing the area, he noticed dog tracks, so he followed them up a ditch to where he discovered a small cave. The cave was hidden from view by a rock overhang, leading into a narrow tunnel.

Gamboe yelled into the cave for Threat, but he didn't receive any response back. He tried going in and could only enter approximately the first 75 feet of the tunnel.

"My husband put out a radio to keep Threat company, so he could hear voices," Bobbie Gamboe said. "He brought some of his clothes to put at the entrance, so that Threat could smell his scent, and he left food and water for him, just in case."

Jared Gamboe, who dearly loves the dog, went back multiple times each day, hoping to hear or see any signs of his lost best friend.

"I thought he was probably gone, but I wasn't ready to give up on him," he said. "I had read on a website about a dog who lasted 14 days in a cave, so I was going to keep going back for two weeks."

Against all odds, Gamboe finally heard a muted yelp from inside the cave on Wednesday morning. Gamboe immediately called his wife, screaming over the telephone the good news that Threat still was alive.

Calling his friends for help, Gamboe once again tried to go down into the cave to rescue his beloved dog, but he couldn't reach him.

From home, where Bobbie Gamboe was taking care of the couple's 17-month old twins, she began making a series of calls that ultimately led her to post a message for help on the www.cavediggers.com website at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Although both the Jersey County fire and police departments came to the scene, neither was able to help, because they only can participate in the rescue of humans from cave entrapment.

Within 30 minutes of Bobbie's posting, Jim Sherrel, president of the MMV Cave Club, called to offer help. He sent out e-mails and called fellow cavers, who responded to her anguished plea immediately.

One of seven volunteers, Chuck Breite, drove over from Wentzville, Mo., to help with the rescue.

"I had lost a dog earlier this spring, so the e-mail from (Bobbie) really hit home for me," Breite said. "This is what we do as a hobby, so it's nice to use our skills other than just entertaining ourselves. We were glad to help."

Other volunteers included Kristin and Joe Nicolussi of Granite City, Tyler Allen and a man identified as only Gerald S. of O'Fallon, Ill., and Jim Sherrel Jr., who accompanied his father from Collinsville. Everyone arrived by 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, with gear and wetsuits, determined to get Threat out.

"They knew exactly what to do," Bobbie Gamboe said. "Within an hour, they were down in the cave and could see that Threat was breathing."

The cavers, however, cautioned that the proper equipment and experience are necessary to attempt this kind of rescue, noting that it can be dangerous.

Because she was the smallest caver, Kristin Nicolussi was the only volunteer who could reach Threat, crawling some of the way on her hands and knees, but mostly inching forward on her belly in the confined space, some 2 feet wide.

"When I got down there, I could see the white part of his belly moving," Nicolussi said. "His head was lodged between the top of the cave and a rock, and he was lying on his belly with his front paws caught and his back legs splayed out. He couldn't move until I freed his head."

Nicolussi said that Threat whined a bit while she was freeing him, and that once he realized he could move, he pushed past her to get out.

To everyone's surprise, Threat walked out on his own power, picking up his pace and wagging his tail the moment he spotted Jared Gamboe.

"I don't remember going over to him; it's hard to describe how I felt," he said. "I was just really happy."

Breitle, who witnessed the reunion, said that Gamboe seemed in shock and kept saying, "Oh, my God! He made it!"

In spite of being covered in mud, Threat appeared to be in good shape, so Gamboe took him home.

When Threat arrived home, the family cried and held him on their porch. Even though the family encouraged Threat to spend the night inside with them, Threat, relieved to be home, just wanted to go sleep where he always does -- next to the other dogs outside.

Dr. Dave Murdach of Ghrist Veterinary Clinic in Carrollton examined Threat on Thursday morning and credited Gamboe's care as the reason he came out of the cave in such good condition.

Active on many dog forums, Gamboe gives Threat both fish oil and electrolytes powder, which he believes helped prevent dehydration.

"We are eternally grateful to all the help and support offered by the people that came out to help him," Bobbie Gamboe said. "The cavers are a special community of people."

Amazed by the outpouring of concern for Threat's well-being, Gamboe and the team of rescue volunteers have received e-mails from as far away as Australia and Mexico this week.

"Many people look at hunting dogs as work dogs," Bobbie Gamboe said. "My husband thinks of Threat as his best friend."