On Friday in Portland, Oregon, a senior dog was rescued by firefighters from an open utility hole after falling 23 feet down.
Elderly Dog Runs for the Treats
During an inspection of a storm drain by city workers, Tess, a 14-year-old Labrador retriever, fell down the uncovered manhole while looking for treats.
“She just walked up expecting a treat and just went over the edge and disappeared,” Larry Beutler, Tess’s owner, told KGW 8.
Beutler was taken aback when he saw his beloved pet disappear down the hole and immediately called his wife to inform her of the distressing incident.
“It was absurd,” Linda Beutler, Tess’s dog mom, said after discovering her canine may be in grave danger. “We went through a real life-threatening thing with her before Christmas, so it was just like, ‘What else can happen?’”
Sweet Little Doggy Was Rescued
The Portland Fire & Rescue team arrived at the location and deployed a firefighter down the hole to safely secure Tess using a harness. They used an Arizona Vortex pulley system to lift her back up to the surface.
Despite being trapped underground for almost an hour, Tess sustained no injuries when the rescuers reached her. This was partly due to a heap of leaves and debris that broke her fall and provided cushioning.
As Tess was lifted out of the utility hole, a group of neighbors gathered around and applauded her rescuers for bringing her back to safety on the surface.
You Can Find Humor In Almost Anything
After Tess was reunited with Linda Beutler, she had a great sense of humor about the whole ordeal and referred to the firefighters as “heroes” for rescuing her beloved pet.
“We just want to tell other dogs, don’t be like Tess,” she joked. “Don’t just walk up to people and expect to get treats because you might fall in a hole.
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