SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Stella the German Shepard is eagerly awaiting being reunited with her brother, Indy.
He found himself in quite the predicament Wednesday afternoon, stuck 40 feet down a well.
"Just out of the blue, you hear about it in books, you joke about it you know Timmy's in the well, this crap, then all of a sudden your dog disappears in front of you," said owner Mark Pugh.
Pugh says Indy, a 9-year-old retired law enforcement dog, is in good spirits and responding well to treatment.
"X-rays, no broken bones, blood work is good, he's aware he's just sore," said Pugh.
Pugh, a Navy vet, stood by for four excruciating hours Wednesday after Indy fell into the hole that was covered by thick brush.
Rescue crews say they definitely had their work cut out for them.
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Ken Gilden is with Animal Fire Rescue Training and specializes in these types of scenarios, but even he admits the depth of the hole, the position of the dog, and the fact that they couldn't secure it enough to send someone down all made for some tense moments.
The only choice they had was to try to lasso Indy by his neck.
"At the end of the day it was either get him out that way or possibly have to leave him down there and I don't think anybody was ready to make that call," said Gilden.
But luckily the rope finally landed just right and Indy was hoisted up in a matter of seconds.
Through it all, calm as could be.
"He's just been a strong German Shepard, big double coat, big ears, so it's just the nature of German Shepards, they're strong dogs," said Pugh.
Pugh says Indy had an MRI to check for any neurological problems and hopes he'll be released later this week.
