SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — It was a case of being in the right place at the right time for Sullivan County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Copeland.
At least that’s how Copeland explained how he found himself rescuing two puppies from a storm drain in Shelburn on June 15.
“I happened to already be in Shelburn when I heard the call go out over dispatch asking for fire to come to Shelburn for some dogs in a drain,” Copeland told WTWO. “So I informed them of my location and headed that direction.”
Copeland would find a woman and two children trying their best to reach down a storm drain for two puppies that had fallen inside headfirst.
“The one on top was a couple feet down this, probably 4-inch wide pipe, so we couldn’t quite reach them by hand.” Copeland said.
But the deputy didn’t let that stop him, Copeland reportedly had some rope that he used to fashion a small lasso, which he then fed down the drain and managed to loop around the pup’s hind legs.
“So I was able to pull it up to the point I could reach in with my hand and get a hold of the puppy’s leg and pull it the rest of the way out,” Copeland said.
Once the first canine had been captured, there was the matter of the second pup that had been still left in the drain. But unlike the first dog, the second had fallen to the point where the drain curved a bit, making the lasso technique obsolete.
And that is where the second moment of serendipitous timing took place. According to Copeland, some Shelburn town employees had been just down the road working on a project with some heavy equipment.
Those workers then brought a backhoe to the location and assisted in the rescue by digging down a few feet, allowing for an easier grab of the second puppy. Copeland said the second animal had fallen to where it was partially in water, so a Humane Society representative checked on the pup for possible injuries and found the animal to be uninjured.
Copeland thanked the Shelburn Fire Department and the Shelburn town workers for their assistance in rescuing the second puppy.
In the end, both of the puppies were rescued, and Copeland says they are safe with their owners.
“Happy pups and happy kids. Thanks for everyone’s help” Copeland posted to Facebook.
