LAKE WINOLA, WYOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — With everything going on the past year, we could certainly use a good news story and first responders in Wyoming County provided one.
Local first responders went above and beyond to rescue a dog pinned under a boulder. But it’s who found the dog that makes this story so amazing.
Eyewitness News spoke with some of the firefighters and the police officer involved in the rescue. When they answered the call, they had no idea how difficult it would be to get to the puppy. But they say it’s calls like this that make it all worthwhile.
Monday afternoon Lake Winola firefighters and Tunkhannock Township Police Officer Timothy McCoy responded to a 911 call for a dog trapped under a rock in Falls Township.
“When we got on scene, we found out the dog was actually in a cave, with its head stuck in a hole,” Lake Winola Volunteer Fire Deparment Lieutenant Nate Evans said.
“She was there for a while. She was definitely hungry; she was definitely cold,” McCoy said.
They believe the eight-month-old golden retriever, Brandy, chased an animal into the hole and got stuck. Brandy’s owner, Nadia Delicati, says she was missing since Sunday evening.
“Everyone was searching, praying, sharing the post,” Delicati said.
They searched the woods but couldn’t see or hear her. Brandy’s head was wedged in so tight she couldn’t make a sound. It was their other dog Bailey, Brandy’s mother, that tracked her scent and led Delicati to the cave.
Unable to dig Brandy out, she called 911. It was a complicated rescue. About five firefighters took chisels and sledgehammers to the rocks trying to get access to Brandy.
“We had to make the hole a little bigger, so we could put our smallest guy in,” Evans said.
“I was able to take a pry bar between the two rocks that had her by the head, put all my weight into it, lifted just enough that her head popped out. Couldn’t believe it but it worked out really well,” Lake Winola Volunteer Fire Department Lieutenant Eric Coolbaugh said.
After being stuck for nearly 20 hours, Brandy was okay.
“She ran right to her owner. It honestly was like a scene from a movie,” McCoy said.
“I said ‘How can I thank you’?” I was just so grateful when they brought Brandy out,” Delicati said.
Finally free, Brandy thanked her rescuers one by one.
“We see so many tragic events that something like this, you can get her out safely, and we got lots of kisses and love from the dog. It made our day. It made our day big time,” Coolbaugh said.
Brandy’s owner says her paw is a little swollen but other than being hungry and exhausted she’s completely fine. She says she’s overwhelmed by the support from the community and thanks the first responders for saving Brandy’s life.
