Urbana (Times-Record) The Sanborn Fire and Rescue team received a unique call this past weekend.  A family dog  fell through the well cover, into the well on the family farm near Urbana, North Dakota and needed help.

According to Sanborn Fire Chief Dana Didier, the 100 pound, five-year old female German Shepherd, Ash, fell approximately 30 feet. “We had 12 foot of ladder in the water and we didn’t feel it was solid yet,” Didier explains. The circumference of the well was 36 inches and it was covered according to Didier. “Yes, it was covered with probably a four inch slab of concrete, but we’re guessing the concrete is old and deteriorated and with the weight of the extra snow on top of it and probably when the dog ran across the top, it gave way and collapsed.”

Didier explains the steps they took to get the dog out of the well. “We got there and then we called Valley City to see if they had more rope experience than we did, so they were on their way out to assist us. But we decided to lower a 24 foot ladder down (into the well) to see if we hit bottom or how far down it actually was because we were actually just guessing.” Didier continues “when we got the ladder down past the dog we just kind of tied it off and we took another ladder that had hooks on it – we call it a roof ladder. We hung that from the edge of the culvert and then Matt hew Lyter (Sanborn firefighter volunteer) was lowered down in a harness to get down near the dog.”  Didier goes on to say, “Then we took and wrapped a strap around the dog under its front shoulders and then with another rope, we hoisted the dog up with Matt following behind, up the ladder and out.”

The dog’s owner, Kim Friebel and Didier both say this is a good reminder to clear snow off wells and culverts in your yard.

Friebel says Ash has no injuries and came out of the well ready to play. Didier says, “She was so excited to see everybody didn’t even want to go in the house and warm up.”

Didier also says this is a good reminder that you never can have too much equipment. “It’s one of those things you know how much equipment you can actually have, but you know we should have some more stuff for things like this.”

But Didier says, for one long time fireman, this was a first. “We had one man on the fire department for 40 some years and said it is the first time we’ve rescued a dog out of well.”

Be sure and pick up your April 12th Times-Record edition to read stories like these and more. Purchase your paper copy of today’s paper at the TR office (146 3rd St NE, Valley City), local gas stations and grocery stores or an electronic copy by clicking subscribe in the top left corner of the www.times-online.com home page.