Talk about a rescue mission!
According to Southern Platte Fire Chief Richard Carrizzo, a dog named "Maverick" was rescued on Saturday after falling into a sinkhole. SPFD Truck 63-B completed the rescue.
It took nearly an hour for veterinarians to stabilize Maverick after being stuck in the sinkhole for three days.
Mud was washed out of his eyes, nose and mouth, and an IV with antibiotics was hooked up to him. He will need the IV for three more days.
Maverick is on morphine for pain. At 12 years old, he already had severe arthritis before getting stuck in the hole.
"Imagine having really bad arthritis then being pinned in one position for three days. That would really be terrible," said Maverick's owner, Lisa Van Valkenburgh.
SPFD performs a dog rescue after he falls in a sink hole. Been missing for 72 hrs. Glad family is back together! pic.twitter.com/2gpM1mYFXv
— Rich Carrizzo (@SPFPDFireChief) January 31, 2016
Maverick will likely need therapy to regain strength in his muscles, but he is expected to be OK.
What caused the sinkhole?
The sinkhole was caused by a rusted pipe leaking water into the ground according to Platte County public works.
The county is installing a temporary structure so no other animals (or humans) can fall in it. Once the replacement pipe arrives, it can take one to three days to install.
How can I help?
Maverick's bill is about $3,000 so far. Donations can be made to Ark Animal Hospital in Liberty, attn: Maverick.
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Brian Abel can be reached at brian.abel@kshb.com.
