Dog survives 6 days trapped in 20-foot dry well under house

LAGRANGE, Ga - A family dog is safe after surviving six days trapped at the bottom of a dry well hidden beneath a neighbor’s home.

What we know:

Firefighters with the LaGrange Fire Department rescued the dog, named Xena, on Jan. 2 after her location was finally identified. Firefighters found Xena roughly 20 feet down a brick-lined shaft located inside a cramped crawlspace.

The rescue required high-level technical precision. Once on the scene, crews utilized specialized rope rescue and confined space operations to reach the dog. Photos from the scene show rescuers in safety harnesses and headlamps navigating a dark, cobweb-filled crawlspace and descending into the narrow well.

Despite the difficult conditions, the department said the extraction was completed within 30 minutes.

The reunion was an emotional one. Xena, a black-and-tan dog, appeared alert as she was pulled from the tight space. Photos captured her owner, wearing a shirt that read "Grateful, Thankful, Blessed," hugging the dog tightly while firefighters, their uniforms covered in dirt and soot from the crawlspace, looked on.

What they're saying:

"Today, C-Shift got one of the best calls there is, rescuing Xena, who survived six days trapped in a dry well under a house!" the department said in a statement posted to Facebook. "With a little teamwork and a lot of care, she was safely pulled out and reunited with her family."

The LaGrange Police Department assisted with the incident. Following the successful mission, the fire department issued a safety reminder to the community, noting that unused or abandoned wells should be securely covered to prevent similar accidents involving people or animals.

"This is why we do what we do," the department said. "We take care of all our citizens, even the furry ones!"