Lucy the Lucky Dachshund
They say that cats have nine lives, but Dachshunds must have a few as well if Lucy the Dachshund is a typical example of the dog breed. Lucy was trapped inside a badger’s sett, for six whole days, before finally being freed by firemen.
While out for a walk, Lucy darted off from her owners and found herself stuck down a badger’s sett, some eight feet under the ground. Lucy’s owners, John and Janet West, found Lucy’s mother sat next to the badger’s set wondering where her pup had gone. After trying to find Lucy in the forest, they realised that the Dachshund must have found her way down the hole in the ground.
The dog owners, from Burnley, tried everything they could to get the dog out of the hole with no luck. The RSPCA and the Forestry Commission were alerted, and then the fire department joined the hunt for Lucy. Using a snake eye camera they attempted to find the dog in the underground tunnels, but again to no avail.
Eventually it was John West who found his dog, when he heard a whimpering under the ground. John explained:
The whimper kept repeating itself. At first I thought I was imagining it but then I realised it was for real. It was such a relief.
The fire department had to request special permission to dig into the badger’s sett in order to free Lucy. Using special earth moving equipment, the rescue team dug down the eight feet to find the dog, safe and well.
Jane West spoke of how relieved she was to find her dog:
I couldn’t believe it. I saw this little nose pop out then she shook her head and crawled out of the hole.
She squealed at us and her tail started wagging straight away. We were overjoyed. The efforts of the rescue team were simply amazing.
Lucy has now lost a little fur on her head due to the friction in the hole, but she has been declared fit and well.
