'He really, really stinks': Wilson the dog rescued after 2 days in a Kempt Shore culvert

An 11-year-old mixed breed dog named Wilson who was trapped for two days in a culvert pipe was finally rescued on Saturday thanks to the help of another dog and a slender local volunteer firefighter.

Wilson is one of two dogs owned by Lynn Beazley and her husband, Gary, who live on a large horse farm close to the shore in Kempt Shore, N.S.

Beazley said her husband took the dogs for a walk on the property on Thursday afternoon and let them roam. Their other dog, Tennessee, returned. But Wilson went missing.

They searched for him the rest of Thursday and the next day but with no luck, Beazley said.

She said she posted an appeal on Facebook for people in the area to keep an eye out for him.

On Saturday morning, Beazley set out with Tennessee to search near the beach again.

She said Tennessee went off in a different direction so she followed him to a drain hole.

Beazley said she had almost given up hope of finding Wilson alive but Tennessee became very excited at the culvert and tried to go in himself.

"Then I looked in and I saw these two little ears," she said.  "The second he saw me he started to cry, and I lost it."

She said she called the neighbours who came over to help calm her down. Then she called the fire department.

That's when Andrew Crossley, a volunteer firefighter with the Summerville fire department got involved.

When he reported to the fire hall he was told that his size made him the only person suitable for the rescue effort.

"I'm quite a small guy," he said." I weigh 130 pounds ... and I'm lanky. I can fit in a lot of spots."

Once at the scene, Crossley donned a dry suit normally used for ice rescue, put on a headlamp and other firefighters tied a rope around his feet.

He said it was a tight squeeze but he crawled in and reached Wilson, who was stuck about six metres down.

Crossley said the dog couldn't stand up and the slimy and muddy surface inside the culvert made it impossible for him to get enough grip to escape.

After Crossley got a firm grasp of Wilson, the other firefighters pulled them both out.

According to Crossley, he wasn't scared of going into the pipe and considers it just part of the job that he does.

Wilson is now back at home recovering from his ordeal.

Beazley said Wilson is a bit dehydrated and sore but otherwise unhurt.

Wilson does, however, have a lingering memento of his time in the drainpipe.

"I've been sponge-bathing him but he really, really stinks ... we're just putting up with the smell for now," Beazley said.

MORE TOP STORIES