Firefighters have carried out an unusual rescue – retrieving a newborn pup from a deep hole in a Margate garden.
Yesterday (October 9) white Alsatian Lola crawled into the hole and gave birth to the first of her litter of three but when owner Louise Turrell managed to get her out, she soon found the hole was so deep she couldn’t get to the pup.
The mum-of-five said: “I let Lola out but then I couldn’t find her. I looked out the front and everywhere.
“She’s been digging this hole in the garden so I went and looked and she was deep in the hole and wasn’t coming out.
“I could hear whimpering, so I tried getting her out with food and then I got the lead and said ‘walkies’ and she came out just enough for me to put it around her neck. Then I had to pull her out.
“My daughter was home so she tried to go in the hole but it was really deep and went around a corner, you could see all the roots from the trees.”
Louise, 48, said she then tried moving a slab to see if she could dig down but in the end had to call the fire service.
She said: “They were going to stabilise it but the lady (firefighter) said she was just going to go in so she went in with a torch and the fireman was holding her ankles – she was so far in all you could see were her ankles!
“She got the pup out, it was cold, muddy and whimpering, and then we gave it to mum.”
Seven-year-old Lola had two more pups, with the rescued one being the smallest of the three.
The little bundles were not planned but Louise says she had some trouble keeping Lola and her other dog Quinton apart.
Louise said: “Mum and pups are doing fine.”
Fire Crew Manager Ben said: “We were delighted to reunite the puppy with Lola and Louise, despite Lola being a bit growly when we got near the puppy! Sometimes we all find ourselves in a hole and it’s good to know someone’s there to pull us out.”
Perhaps some thought should be given to have Lola neutered!
Excellent rescue but I agree, along with Quinton too. Doga and cats will breed if given the opportunity; that’s why there are endless numbers of them in rescues and sanctuaries. I hope the pups given up to a proper rescue for adoption rather than sold for profit.
Lovely story- good practice for the Fire Brigade as well
What an irresponsible owner. How long has that dog been digging a hole if it’s the length of a human. Get your dog spayed and walk it so it isn’t bored enough to dig enormous holes.
Congratulations of a successful result, I’m sure many lessons learned, mistakes happen.. it’s how we deal with them that matter…
7 years old and still being made to give birth. Disgusting. Please get your dog spayed before she has a pyometra (please Google). Pyometra is a serious condition common in unspayed dogs, cats, ferrets and rabbits. How many litters has the dog had already? Where will these pups be in a few years time. The breeder will neither know nor care. It is all about the money.