A German Shepherd in New Hampshire has been rescued after falling into a well, reports WHDH News. The incident took place on Sunday night during a snowstorm when the lid of the well was accidentally moved by a snow plow driver. Subsequently, firefighters were called in to assist.
Firefighter lowered into well to rescue dog
Firefighters initially tried to reach the dog using a rope but in vain. Later, one of them was lowered into the well using a tripod.
“I grabbed him by the collar,” Kingston firefighter Kevin Holter said. “We got another rope system wrapped around his chest and we were able to kind of hoist myself and the dog up together.”
The German Shepherd, Arlo, subsequently received treatment for hypothermia and other minor injuries. Thankfully, he was home by Monday night. Cathy Brien-Dinardo, the dog’s owner, described the incident as “very scary.”
“I took him out to go to the bathroom,” she said. “I had him on the leash and, next thing I know, he was in the well.” Brien-Dinardo also praised the firefighters’ efforts, saying, “they were the best.”
Arlo is currently recovering and doing well. “He’s a really, really good boy,” Brien-Dinardo shared. “He loves people. He loves playing ball and he’s mischievous.”
Another instance of a dog falling into a well
Recently, in another similar incident, a Great Dane puppy fell into a 40-foot well in North Carolina. The canine, Midge, was running around in the woods near her home in Wake County when she fell into the well. When the pup didn’t return home, her family set out to look for her.
Upon hearing the Great Dane barking from inside the structure, the family called 911, following which firefighters arrived. Within a few hours, the crew managed to rescue the pup using a harness and rope. Apart from a small scratch on her ankle, the pup did not sustain any severe injuries.
“To have her come out and … lick the guy’s face that pulled her out of the hole, like, wow. It was really special,” the canine’s owner, Janine Haldane, said.
The separate incidents call into question the responsibility landowners have for mitigating potential property dangers. Abandoned wells must be adequately maintained in order to prevent further accidents like the ones these dogs experienced from occurring in the future.
