Paw patrol to the rescue for Peggy
A beloved dog who went missing for two days has been safely rescued after falling down an abandoned mine shaft in the Wombat State Forest in Langdons Hill.
Peggy, a Kelpie-Border Collie cross, was out bushwalking with her owners when she suddenly took off into the bush and didn’t return.
After two long days of searching on foot, Peggy’s owners tracked her down on Tuesday evening (1 July) and contacted CFA’s Oscar 1 rescue team for assistance.
Crews quickly arrived on scene, and, following a challenging three-hour operation, Peggy was successfully extricated from the shaft, remarkably, totally unharmed.
Her owners said it was a huge relief to have her home, safe and sound.
“The first night was windy, so it was hard to hear anything at first. But the next night the wind dropped off and I heard her faint bark coming from across the ridge,” said the owner.
“Thankfully we found her about four metres down an old shaft.”
This isn’t the first time a member of Peggy’s family has found themselves in a rough spot.
“A couple of years ago, her brother Terry fell into a shaft about 20 metres deep. The Oscar 1 team assisted us on that occasion as well,” said the owner.
“We can’t thank them enough, they were amazing.”
CFA District 15 Commander Damien Scott was the incident controller and praised the teamwork on display.
“This was a great example of how our specialist rescue crews, and local brigades work together to get the job done,” Damien said.
“The Oscar 1 team brought their expertise to a very tricky situation and did a fantastic job bringing Peggy to safety.
“It’s always a good day when everyone goes home safe - humans and dogs alike.”
Peggy is now back at home, safe and in good spirits after her unexpected doggone adventure.