Bruno the bull-Arab and Terry the kelpie are rescued days apart without injury after falling 15 METRES down mineshaft at campsite
- Two dogs have been rescued from mine shafts in separate incidents same week
- Bruno the bull-Arab was rescued in Castlemaine Diggins National Park
- Five days later Terry the kelpie-cross was rescued from mine shaft in Woodend
Two dogs have been rescued from mine shafts by specialist Victorian firefighters in separate incidents in the same week.
Bruno the bull-Arab was rescued by the Bendigo-based Oscar1 Brigade on December 5 after he fell down a mine shaft at Castlemaine Diggins National Park.
Less than six days later, the team was called to rescue terrified Terry the kelpie-cross from a mine shaft at Woodend.
‘The owner said they were camping and the dog just went for a run, but as it was night and you can’t see these mine shafts at the best of times, he just fell down the hole,’ Captain Daniel McMahon said.
Terry the kelpie-cross was rescued from a mine shaft in Woodend – the second rescue of a dog down a hole in a week in the area
Captain McMahon said he was pleased both incidents ended with a good result, with neither dog suffering injuries.
‘It was a 15-metre shaft but we thought it may have been a false floor, meaning there could have been another 10 or 20 metres below if the floor had collapsed,’ he said.
‘Terry was in surprisingly good nick though with no injuries, so we hooked him up to the ropes and Woodend brigade helped pull him up.’
Oscar1 Brigade trains for a variety of rescue situations including grain silos, tower rescues and mines.
‘Rescuing a dog in a mineshaft is a serious job, but for us, it also doubles as real-world experience in case we are called to a community member in the same unfortunate situation,’ Captain McMahon said.