Moment golden retriever is rescued after 24 hours trapped in a 5ft sinkhole in Illinois [Video]

This is the heartwarming moment a dog was rescued from a five-foot sinkhole – after another dog found her and alerted his owner.  

Macy, an 11-year-old golden retriever, was trapped inside the hole in Streator, Illinois for nearly 24 hours after falling in last Friday, February 11.

She was found in Marilla Park by another dog, a chocolate labrador named Wrigley, who alerted his owner by barking.

Macy was reviewed by a veterinarian and found to be unharmed by the stressful encounter, although muddy

Macy seemed relieved to be reunited with her owner after 24 long hours beneath the ground, trapped in a sinkhole in mine-ridden Marilla Park, Streator

Fire crews were then called and Macy was hauled out, and is now back with owners Liz and Tom Price.

Footage shows Streator fire chief Fred McClellan climbing into the hole to extricate stranded golden retriever Macy from the hole.

They had to lift Macy out of the hole as the 11-year-old dog was too stiff to climb the ladder they had lowered down to her.

Liz said: ‘Tom was at park with Macy, they were done with their walk and Macy never wants to leave.

‘He said he was sitting in his car waiting for her and wasn’t watching her for a couple minutes, and he looked up and she was gone.

‘Tom had seen a car go through park while he was sitting there that looked like my vehicle and thought maybe she had ran after the car and that someone took her, because there was not enough time for her to disappear.

‘He looked up and down the creek and…could not find Macy.

A ladder was put down the hole initially in the hopes Macy would climb out herself, but the elderly canine was unable to ascend it

Fire chief Fred McClellan almost slips into the hole himself during the rescue, in which he was assisted by engineer Tim Redd

‘We reported her to Streator Animal Control and they put out her information on Facebook.’

Streator Fire Department were called after Wrigley alerted owner AJ Delaney and managed to hoist the dog out of the five-foot hole.

‘This dog had fell into a five-foot hole. [The dog had been] missing for about 24 hours, from what I understand,’ Streator Fire Chief Fred McClellan said. 

At one scary moment, fire chief Fred McClellan lost his footing and the opening of the hole widened, but fortunately engineer Tim Redd was able to keep pulling Macy out.

Shaken by her experience, Macy looks pleased as her rescuers finish pulling her out with a harness they wrapped around her chest

After the rescue, Streator Animal Control shared a photo of a muddy Macy sitting in her owner’s car after being pulled from the sinkhole, writing, ‘Macy is HOME!!!’

The department also ensured she was checked out by a veterinarian after her rescue, after being returned to owners Liz and Tom Price.

Locals were asked to avoid Marilla Park, which Streator Animal Control noted ‘is built on mines,’ until the area was secure.