Stray dog rescued from sewer in St. Louis County

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – An St. Louis County Animal Control officer is credited with rescuing a stray dog that had fallen into a sewer.

Animal Control Officers Bill Ellis was on patrol in the Kinloch area when he heard faint whimpering. Ellis found the dog trapped at the bottom of a sewer and set about getting little guy free.

Ellis called fellow officer Bailey Brooks as backup. With Brooks filming the rescue, Ellis safely used a pole to secure the dog by the neck and lift him out of the sewer.

“The rescue doesn’t immediately appear complicated but using the pole in that manner without strangling the dog takes incredible skill,” Dr. Kanika Cunningham, director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health, said.

The dog, whom Animal Control employees have named Oscar, appeared no worse for wear and will soon be up for adoption through Diamonds in the Ruff Rescue in St. Peters.