A dog from Tennessee spent three days trapped in a cave with a bear.
The hunting dog, named Charlie, was trapped about 40 feet down the “[extremely] narrow” cave shaft in Sevier County, according to the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department, which helped rescue the puppy.
The WCVFD detailed the rescue — which was a joint effort by several local groups — in a Facebook post.
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According to the post, Charlie spent part of his three days in the cave “reluctantly” sharing it with an approximately 2-year-old, 200-pound bear.
A rescue team formed to remove the puppy from the cave – and the unusual situation with the roommate – arrived at the scene on Tuesday morning. Firefighters Jon Lanier and Tori Downing continued to descend into the cave system to rescue the trapped dog.
As Downing rounded a corner during this first takedown attempt, she discovered a sleeping bear just five feet below her. Charlie was trapped deeper in the system.
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Charlie was rescued from the cave on Wednesday, October 11.
Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook
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After this discovery, the pair left the cave and members of the rescue team set up cameras to monitor the entrance to the cave so they would know when the bear came out.
On Wednesday, the team arrived at the scene once again, only this time the bear was not in the cave.
Lanier, along with firefighters Christian Ellard and Andrew Wojturski, entered the now bear-free cave using a rope system. The trio descended and located the trapped dog, which they then attached to a harness.
Charlie was pulled to the surface and “was quickly reunited with his happy owner,” according to a WCVFD release.
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Four members of Charlie’s rescue team pose with the dog after it was safely removed from the cave.
Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook
In a video of the rescue, someone off-screen could be heard yelling, “Come on big guy, come on mate,” as one of the helmeted firefighters pulled the black puppy out of the cave opening.
“He was dehydrated and hungry, but otherwise in good condition,” WCVFD said.
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The rescue is a joint effort between the WCVFD, Sevier County Fire and Rescue, the Sevier County Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Catons Chapel-Richardson Cove Volunteer Fire Department.
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At the rescue station, the department also discovered that this was not the team’s first outing.
The same group was previously assembled last year to remove another hunting dog, named Storm, from a “deep cave” in a nearby English mountain.
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