Macy, a golden retriever that had fallen down a sinkhole in central Illinois, was saved with the aid of a chocolate Labrador retriever named Wrigley. According to Streator Fire Chief Fred McClellan, Macy had been lost for close to 24 hours after sliding into the five-foot sinkhole.
Wrigley discovered Macy stuck inside the hole at Marilla Park and notified his owner, who in turn contacted the Streator Fire Department. Shortly after, it was confirmed via Facebook that the golden retriever had been freed.
A video of the rescue, in which the firefighters are seen hoisting the dog out of the hole, was also posted. McClellan claimed to have wrapped webbing around Macy while in the hole but was unable to free himself.
The ground began to crack beneath McClellan’s foot, so he stepped across it to grab something to regain his balance, and then it collapsed again. Fortunately, his engineer, Tim Redd, was able to finish pulling the dog out safely.
To let everyone know that Macy was finally safe with her family, Streator Animal Control shared a photo of her sitting in her owner’s car after being rescued from the sinkhole. Wrigley was also praised for finding Macy before something bad happened. They claimed that he, too, could have easily fallen into the sinkhole, but that everything worked out in the end. They went on to thank all of the rescuers who helped bring the golden retriever back to safety.
According to Streator Animal Control, Macy was examined by a veterinarian immediately following the accident and was found to be in good health. She is now doing well, but she is still resting due to her fall. Residents have been asked to avoid Marilla Park until the area has been secured to prevent a similar incident from happening.
Credit: Streator Fire Fighters via Facebook