Canine Rescue for Nine Year Old Indy

On Wednesday, February 1st, at 2:45pm, a 911 call was received by the Heartland Communications Facility Authority Central dispatchers about a dog that fell down a hole. Bonita Fire Department’s Engine 38 was dispatched to evaluate the situation. Once on scene they were met by Chula Vista Fire Department’s Battalion 51 who was in the area and together they determined that a full confined space rescue response was needed.

The dog had fallen to the bottom of a 40 foot deep abandoned well that the homeowner was not aware existed. Additional apparatus and personnel from Chula Vista, San Miguel and National City fire departments as well as Animal Control, Humane Society, and CHP were dispatched to the scene to make up the full rescue response.

The initial plan was to use the ladder truck as a high point to lower a rescuer down to Indy, the 9-year old 120 pound German Shepard and retired Police Service dog. Indy was alert and responding to the voices of rescuers and his owner but unable to move his back legs. After further evaluation of the hole and its unstable condition, the initial plan to send a rescuer down the hole was not viable.

The first back up plan was to use a backhoe to dig laterally into the well and effect a rescue from the side, but no equipment or operator was readily available. Crews resorted to their second backup plan which was to utilize a selfcinching snare provided by animal control personnel. Several iterations of this snare concept were tried and modified. Crews were able to get the snare in place multiple times but once they attempted to cinch it down it would slide off. This was both frustrating and promising to know it would work if the right combination of skill, finesse and luck were to come together perfectly.

After almost 3 hours of tirelessly trying these different methods to see what did and didn’t worked, the crew members at the hole were exhausted and the decision was made to switch personnel and use the valuable information gained by their efforts to employ the best technique which resulted in a successful extrication of Indy at about 6:25pm. Indy, who was alert and oriented, was taken to an emergency veterinarian clinic by his owners and will receive the appropriate care that he needs. This was an amazing team effort by all present that resulted in a successful rescue and hopefully a full recovery for Indy.