Sad End for 11-Week-Old Puppy Trapped in Pipe

Rescuers "worked feverishly" late Thursday to save an 11-week-old puppy trapped in a drainage pipe at its Newport Coast home, but the attempt failed, a Newport Beach fire official said.

Around 7 p.m., firefighters and members of the NBFD's Urban Search and Rescue team arrived at 20 Vincennes after a puppy named Hunter got stuck in a pipe under construction on the side yard of its home, according to NBFD Capt. Mike Liberto. Rescuers spent three hours trying to find the dog, but he was never seen again. The pet's owners ultimately decided to suspend the search.

"We believe he may have crawled further down the piping into the sewer system," Liberto said. "We were able to hear him for several minutes but were unable to reach him due to the depth of the piping system and the dirt and concrete above the piping."

The emergency responders used specialized equipment throughout the attempted rescue, including confined-space optical cameras, but they could not pinpoint Hunter's location, according to Liberto.

"Eventually we were unable to hear him any longer," Liberto said. "This was a very trying incident for the pet owners, bystanders and first responders."
 
To prevent such situations in the future, the Newport Beach Fire Department said residents and business owners should use a piece of plywood to cover any holes or open piping.  

"Any time animals are in need of rescue, the men and women of the Newport Beach Fire Department will exhaust all resources to assist in their safe recovery," Liberto said.

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