The Kelowna Fire Department's technical rescue team was called into action Friday morning to rescue a dog trapped at the bottom of a 30-foot deep dry well alongside Highway 97.
The dog, a mid-sized cocker spaniel had been missing since Tuesday, said KFD platoon captain Tim Light, and was very happy to see the firefighter who was lowered down to get him
"The dog was a little dirty but seemed to have lots of energy," said Light.
He said the dog's barking alerted a passerby to its location early Friday and that's when the fire department was called in.
The dry well is close to the residence where the dog lives, but is set back among trees alongside the highway, just north of the intersection with Highway 33. The well had been left uncovered.
The area is currently part of a construction zone, as work continues to widen the highway there.
When the rescue team arrived around 7:30 a.m. Friday, it lowered down a firefighter but not before taking the precautions of suiting him up with a oxygen mask.
Light said the team treated the well like it was a "vertical tunnel" and precautions needed to be taken just in case.
Despite the confined space—the opening of the well is just 3 1/2 feet wide—Light said the rescue went off without a hitch.
Once brought to the surface, the dog, who appeared uninjured from his ordeal, was taken to the vet for a check up.