GEORGIA -- If it wasn't for a good Samaritans walking by and the quick thinking of two Clayton police officers, a lost dog would've never been found alive.
On Aug. 26, a good Samaritan, identified as Richard Hahn in the Clayton police report, stumbled across a manhole. Inside the 10-foot hole was a growling lab mix that had been missing for three weeks.
After calling Clayton police for help, Sgt. Tim Brown and Officer Richard Hunter arrived to help pull the dog out.
"We called Animal Control," Brown said. "But, it was on a Sunday and we couldn't get a hold of anybody. So, we decided to figure out how to get the dog out of the hole ourselves."
Brown and Hunter were able to attach a cup to a long pole and give the dog water.
"The dog was scared, we didn't want to crawl down in there," Hunter said.
So they decided to use the same pole they used to unlock car doors to try and loop it around the dog's neck. After getting the pole under the collar they slowly lifted her up and out of the hole.
"It makes you feel really good, got to save one of God's animals, he was a good puppy, a good dog," Brown said. "It has been very positive, everybody loves their animals. It's been very good, people have been telling us good job, but I'm just glad the dogs is OK and is back with her owner."
The owner, Steve Carruth, found his dog on Facebook after a city official posted a picture of the dog the officers pulled out of the manhole.
"I'm so grateful the officers saved Phoebe," Carruth said. "I am grateful she was found and that the officers were able to get her out."
According to the officers, Phoebe lived off of raw sewage, rain water and vegetation to stay alive. Phoebe lost nearly half of her body weight while she was in the sewer.
Officers said the manhole looked like it was knocked off in an accident and was never replaced because it is a rural road.
Despite losing some weight, Carruth said Phoebe was taken to the vet and assured that she will make a full recovery.
(WGCL - August 30, 2012)
