Cape Town - Firefighters came to the rescue of a puppy stuck in a sewer line in Ruyterwacht on Sunday, after a family heard the dog’s cries from their toilet.
The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service received an early morning call where the first team to respond found that the puppy was stuck in a pipe behind the house.
The family had heard the puppy’s distant cries from their toilet, and quickly called for help when they realised a member of their neighbour’s litter was missing, the City said.
The firefighters called for assistance from another department and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith. said: “Help was going to take time and by then, shifts had changed. The fire crews from Epping 3 and Goodwood 3 platoon took it upon themselves to rescue the puppy as they did not know how long he’d been stuck there.”
The puppy was extricated from the sewerage line at 11:15 and handed over to the SPCA to ensure he was in good health.
On Wednesday morning, both crews returned to the property and Goodwood Fire Station Commander Durandt Geldenhuys bought the materials needed to fix the line they’d damaged when they took the puppy out.
“Our firefighters are once again commended for their dedication to not only going above and beyond the call of duty, but to saving lives. On occasion, those lives are of the furry, four-legged variety, and this is a testament to their commitment,” said Smith.
The puppy was given a clean bill of health and although he is yet unnamed, he could soon sport the moniker of one or more of his rescuers, the City said.
Cape Argus