CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — It took rescue crews more than an hour to dig a Catawba County dog named Rocky out of a pipe. His owner says he chased after a possum and got stuck in the middle of a pipe about 100 feet long.
Claremont Rescue Squad said they received a call to help find the pup shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Chief of Claremont Rescue Squad Eric Jones said in a way, Rocky helped them find him.
Rocky got stuck because the material of the pipe changed part of the way in, and at about 80 pounds, Rocky was just a little too big to go any further. Jones said they could hear him barking at the possum, who got all the way to the other end.
The crew dug holes in different spots while trying to find exactly where Rocky was in the pipe. It took the rescue crew about an hour and a half to find Rocky.
They knew when they were close because the barking got louder.
"We were fortunate that he got stuck where he did," Jones said.
If Rocky had gotten any further into the pipe, they would've had to get more equipment to rescue him.
Once they found him, they wedged a piece of metal in the pipe carefully so Rocky couldn't run back the other way and lose them. After that, it was time to dig.
Jones said they let Rocky's owner pull him up once he was in sight. The homeowner was there during the whole process, and even had tried to dig him out before Claremont Rescue Squad got there.
Rocky was a couple of feet underground, and happy as can be to come up, Jones said.
The possum was nowhere to be found.
Dog rescued from pipe after chasing a possum
Once Rocky was out, Jones said the pup was eager to meet everyone who helped him. The crew stayed another 20 to 30 minutes just petting and hanging out with the Rocky, who went up to each individual -- as if he wanted to thank them.
Jones said they've rescued cows, horses and even snakes before, but these stories are a little more fun for them.
"No more possum chasing for him," the post read on Claremont Rescue's Facebook page.
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