YOUNG pup Sandy survived a fall down a five-metre deep hole in the rear yard of her Millicent house on Thursday morning.
The Country Fire Service and State Emergency Service were called to the Mouat family home at 11.30am after the two-month-old Bull Mastiff/Ridgeback Cross fell into a former septic tank pit which suddenly opened up.
Owner Cliff Mouat was watching the dog in the yard and lost sight of her.
He heard her whimpering five metres underground and raised the alarm.
Millicent SES unit manager Gavin Golding said the rescue operation involved five personnel and took about an hour.
“We needed to widen the hole and then place an extension ladder down into it,” Mr Golding said.
Sandy was rescued unharmed and was none the worse-for-wear when The South Eastern Times called two hours later.
“She was running around OK after she came out of the hole,” Mr Mouat said.
“I rent the house and the owners are going to bring in earthmovers and fill in the hole”.
Sandy has become a popular member of the Mouat household.
She was born in Mount Gambier on June 17 and came to live in Millicent two weeks ago.
The opening up of the hole took all by surprise.
The house dates back to the early 1940s and in the days before sewers were built in Millicent.
It was built to house senior staff at the Cellulose Mill at Snuggery which was erected around this time.
The property has since been owned by a number of private owners including the Catholic Church which used it as accommodation for staff at the nearby St Anthony’s School.
