It was an incredibly excruciating period for Lisa Van Valkenburgh and her family when their 12-year-old German Shepherd, Maverick, went missing.
At first, the family feared that Maverick had slipped into one of the icy lakes in the vicinity.
But after 2 days of searching, Lisa heard a faint bark and followed it, only to discover that her elderly dog was stranded several feet beneath a sinkhole.
Source: 41 Action News/YouTube
Firefighters and deputies of the Kansas City neighborhood were called and soon gathered around the hole to figure out a rescue plan for the senior dog.
It was assessed that Maverick was about 5 feet deep and another 5 feet sideways from the opening. Fearing the collapse of the sinkhole, one of the firefighters volunteered to climb in to get to the dog.
Source: @SPFPDFireChief/Twitter
After a tense operation, the firefighters finally pulled Maverick out of the hole. The weakened dog was dehydrated and out of breath from spending 72 hours inside the suffocating hole.
He was rushed to the nearest hospital, where the vets spent another couple of hours removing the mud from his eyes and ears.
Source: 41 Action News/YouTube
Maverick’s arthritis has worsened after his time in the cramped hole, and his kidneys have taken a hit as well.
Before being adopted by Lisa, Maverick had survived a hit and run and also had another brush with death in a raccoon trap.
This is why Lisa and her family are positive that their resilient pooch will pull through despite the odds.
Get well soon, Maverick!
Click the video below to watch how the tense rescue operation saved Maverick’s life!
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