It was a quiet afternoon at Ziggy’s Refuge Farm Sanctuary (ZRFS) in North Carolina when founders Kristin Hartness and Jay Yontz realized something was wrong. Their elderly dog, Whitey, was nowhere to be found.
At first, they assumed he was napping somewhere on the 110-acre property. But as the minutes stretched into hours, worry began to sink in. The couple searched every barn, pasture, and trail — calling his name again and again.
Then, just as hope began to fade, Kristin heard something faint in the distance — a soft squish.
When they first bought the farm in 2017, Whitey had already been living there. He was a solitary barn dog, cautious of people and used to sleeping alone.
“Whitey used to live in the barn alone; he had no family,” ZRFS wrote on Facebook. “His job was to protect the animals.”
Kristin and Jay couldn’t stand the thought of him being lonely. They carried the nervous dog inside and made him part of their family.
“The next morning, he went outside, and when I opened the door, he was sleeping in a ball right by the door,” ZRFS shared. “He was so happy to be a beloved family dog.”
From that day forward, Whitey never left their side — until now.
When Kristin followed the faint sound, her heart sank. There, deep in a muddy pit, was Whitey — chest-deep in thick sludge, struggling to keep himself afloat.
“Whitey wasn’t making any noise,” ZRFS wrote in an Instagram post. “Kristin could barely hear the faint sound of him trying to get out. This was the last place we thought we’d find him.”
The senior pup had likely been trapped for hours, exhausted and scared. Kristin rushed in to pull him out, but the mud held tight. Then Jay arrived — and together, they managed to free him.
You can watch Whitey’s rescue here:
As soon as his paws hit solid ground, Whitey staggered forward, trembling but alive. His parents followed close behind, guiding him back home.
Once inside, they gently washed the mud from his fur and wrapped him in blankets. Before long, Whitey was snuggled in his bed, safe and sound — his family never letting him out of sight again.
“He’s truly been a blessing every single day since we moved in,” ZRFS wrote. “Today, he is the center of our world.”
Whitey’s brush with danger was terrifying, but it only deepened the bond he shares with the people — and animals — who love him most.
You can follow Whitey’s adventures and the rest of the Ziggy’s Refuge family on Instagram and Facebook.
