A dog has been rescued after reportedly spending three YEARS trapped at the bottom of a deep underground shaft.
Footage shows a man lowering himself down the roadside shaft to reach the stricken pooch.
Another rescuer was seen trying to lasso the terrified animal using a metal pole with a loop on the end, carefully lowering it into the narrow space.
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The dog appeared agitated and jittery at first, but the good Samaritans eventually managed to wrap it in a blanket and haul it safely to the surface.
The animal was placed in a cage and driven to a veterinary hospital, where it was later seen calmly sipping water from a bowl.
The heart-warming rescue unfolded on Monday (2 March) in Yantai, China, as reported by Need To Know.
Zhao, a member of the Yantai Huabi Animal Rescue Team, said the dog had been stuck in the shaft – incredibly – for around three years.
During that time, locals had been lowering food down to keep it alive.
According to Zhao, the operation was complex, with multiple volunteer teams taking turns in repeated attempts to free the animal, at times reaching a complete deadlock.
In the end, rescuers were forced to set a trap underground. The dog was finally brought out after triggering the mechanism.
The team said the animal is suffering from skin problems on its ears, muscle atrophy in its limbs, and severe vision impairment, but is otherwise in relatively good condition.
It is now receiving treatment for vision loss, according to local media.
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