A dog rescued from a 10-foot deep cistern miles away from home was reunited with its owners Sunday morning in Henderson County.
Two recently relocated Gun Barrel City residents were driving around their new property Saturday night when they said they heard barking from down an old cistern where a house once stood, according to the city's fire department.
Upon discovering the dog, they immediately called 911, fire officials said.
When firefighters arrived, Gun Barrel City Fire Department Capt. Jordan West used a ladder designed for a confined space rescue to descend into the cistern. After he spent enough time with the dog to calm it down, West lifted the dog over his shoulder and started to climb back up the ladder, officials said.
Two other firefighters helped him pull the dog the rest of the way up.
"As soon as the firefighters set the dog on the ground, he went over and drank water for several minutes," Gun Barrel City Fire Lt. Michael Bradley said. "The dog did not appear to have any serious injuries and was able to walk back to the residence."
But the story didn't end there.
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Sunday, the residents who found the dog located the dog's owners online, fire officials said.
The dog had wandered away from his home in Eustace -- a distance of several miles -- three weeks ago. They were reunited Sunday morning.
"As first responders, we often see people on the worst day of their lives, which can be taxing and now we are dealing with all of the precautions related to the coronavirus as well," Gun Barrel City Assistant Fire Chief Jason Raney said. "It was very satisfying to rescue this dog from the cistern."
