The wag of a tail can say more than words ever could. For one young springer spaniel in Bristol, England, it was a signal of pure joy and relief—because help had arrived just in time.

Firefighters at Temple Fire Station were called out after the 9-month-old pup tumbled into Yate Quarry during an evening walk with his owners. What should have been a simple stroll turned into a life-threatening ordeal as the dog slid down the steep cliffside, landing on a narrow ledge some 30 feet below.

From above, the scene looked hopeless. The spaniel was stranded, with sheer rock walls rising behind him and nothing but empty air below. That’s when Avon & Somerset Police’s drone squad stepped in. Launching their drone over the quarry, they quickly located the frightened dog and relayed images back to the fire crews waiting at the top.

But the most extraordinary moment came next. With precision and courage, a firefighter strapped into a harness and was winched down the cliff face. Suspended in mid-air, he inched his way toward the ledge where the pup sat trembling.

The footage tells the rest of the story. The dog’s fear turned instantly to joy the moment the rescuer came close—his tail wagging furiously, his body wriggling with excitement. Seconds later, the firefighter scooped him into the harness, securing him for the climb back up.

The crowd above erupted in cheers as the pair re-emerged safely from the cliff. For the spaniel’s owners, it was a terrifying ordeal that ended in relief. For the firefighters, it was another day of service—though one marked with smiles and a grateful, tail-wagging passenger.

As the drone’s final images showed, the pup never stopped wagging, never stopped trusting, even as he dangled high above the quarry floor. A reminder, perhaps, of the bond between humans and the animals who depend on them—and of the heroes who answer the call when that bond is tested.