Authorities have secured open mine shafts in Central Victoria following the rescue of a dog who had been missing for four days.
Ted, a pet Labrador, fell 8 meters into a mine shaft in Wombat State Forest, near Trentham, after escaping his backyard with labradoodle Penny last week.
On Monday morning, four days after the dogs disappeared, Penny’s barking alerted neighbours, who found her guarding the mine shaft.
The owners of the two dogs had shared photos on social media in hopes of locating them.
Specialist volunteers from the Country Fire Authority’s (CFA) mine rescue brigade, Oscar 1, led the operation to save Ted.
Lieutenant Karl Shay said the mine shaft was small and difficult to access.
“There was a log over the top, and the opening was only about 800 by 800 millimetres,” he explained.
The rescue team sent down a monitor to ensure the air was safe before lifting Ted out using a dog harness.
Mr Shay also noted that there were three other mine shafts within 3 to 4 meters of the one where Ted was found.
“Be extremely careful when wandering around the bush,” he advised.
Rescue specialists are often called in for dog rescues, according to Mr Shay.
“Luckily, when dogs fall into mine shafts, they usually don’t hurt themselves,” he said. “Humans, on the other hand, tend to suffer more serious injuries.”
In response to the incident, authorities have marked several open mine shafts in the area with red tape to prevent further accidents.
Ted, once rescued, was described as “very happy to see people.”
His owner, Chantal Henderson, thanked the community for their help in a social media post.
“The dogs are a little lighter than usual, but otherwise excellent,” she wrote. “Thank you to Ruth and her daughter for their perseverance in searching the bush after hearing their barking. Without you, they would never have been found.”
Mr Shay added that Ted was thrilled to be reunited with his family.
Animal behaviourist Susan Hazel, who is also an associate professor at the University of Adelaide, explained that Penny’s loyalty to Ted could explain why she stayed by his side for so long.
“Dogs form deep attachments to others, whether they are humans or other dogs,” Hazel said. “This is part of why people love them so much—they are incredibly loyal.”