Imagine playing fetch with your dog on a regular day—laughter, running, and a happy pup chasing after the ball. That’s exactly what a family in Washington was doing when, suddenly, their dog Rip vanished while chasing the ball. One moment he was there, and the next, he was gone.
The family ran to where they last saw him and were shocked to find that Rip had fallen into a 10-foot-deep sinkhole right in their yard. Miraculously, Rip wasn’t hurt, but he was stuck and unable to get out on his own.
Panicked but determined, the family called 9-1-1. Soon after, firefighters from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue arrived to help. To their relief, Rip was calmly sitting at the bottom of the hole. That gave the rescuers some time to assess the situation and make a plan.
At first, they tried using webbing to lift him, but it didn’t work. So, they carefully lowered a ladder into the sinkhole, and one firefighter climbed down into the unstable space. Gently cradling Rip in his arms, the firefighter climbed back up the ladder—successfully reuniting the pup with his worried family.
Rip was shivering from the shock, but once he saw his family again, he relaxed and seemed to know he was safe. The rescue was smooth and professional, and thanks to the teamwork of the first responders, what could have been a tragic accident ended in joy.
It was a day this family—and Rip—will never forget. Once again, the bravery and quick thinking of rescue crews made all the difference.