Elderly Bulldog Is Rescued from Sinkhole Thanks to an Iowa Community Coming Together

Estherville Police Department

An elderly bulldog named Tupelo made it safely back home to his family thanks to a team of first responders as well as members of the nearby community.

Police officers in Estherville, Iowa, responded to a call about a family's lost dog at 3:10 a.m. Monday morning, according to the Estherville Police Department. The dog owner told dispatchers she could hear her pet barking in the ravine located behind another person's home in the area.

First responders discovered Tupelo located in a cement drainage tile. The tile created a sinkhole about "3 feet in diameter and about 3 feet deep" in the area surrounding it.

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"At the bottom of the hole, a cement drainage tile was found, and the dog was about another 4 feet into and wedged into the cement tile," a statement from the EPD reads.

Officers called in assistance from Estherville Fire Department to help squeeze the dog safely out of the drainage tile.

Estherville Police Department

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The rescuers were met with added support from the City of Estherville Electricians and Street Department, Emmet County Secondary Roads Department, Dr. Arlen Omtevdt from the Estherville Veterinary Clinic, and various neighbors –– all of whom came together and started digging around the tile.

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Tupelo was safely retrieved "in great condition" from the area at 6:24 a.m. and taken home to his family.