Cocker Spaniel rescued from underground pipe after three days

A dog stuck in a drainpipe after chasing a rabbit had to be rescued with a JCB after three days underground. 

Spencer the cocker spaniel was five feet underground for three days after his unfortunate incident at Tilsley Park in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, on Saturday night.

Irish company Cappagh, Thames Water and Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service helped with the mission, with workers given permission by the site’s owner, Abingdon School, to dig up the pitch in an operation which is set to cost thousands of pounds.

Spencer’s owner Kat Athey posted about the ordeal on Facebook, and the message was shared hundreds of times.

In her original Facebook post, Kat said: ‘He has squeezed his way through and would not be able to turn around at all. We have found a map of the pipe – but even with the help of diggers we can’t locate the end of the pipe.

‘I need some ideas of how we can find my dog as this is now his third night stuck in a pipe. I’m now thinking of geophysical surveying/mapping, maybe thermo imaging, sniffer dogs anything as now desperate to get Spenny out of the pipe. Please share please offer any advice.

One resident at the scene watching the drama unfold said ‘Thames Water has got a camera in the pipe and the dog is moving, but he’s trapped.

‘The drainage pipe runs under the pitch and comes out into a little stream.

I think he was chasing something and went so far up he couldn’t get back down.

‘The fire brigade have done a fantastic job and have been down every day since Sunday, and Thames Water has got the equipment.

Thankfully, Spencer is now safe and back with his owners, and swears he won't be chasing rabbits for the foreseeable future.