Barks lead firefighters to dog stuck in water tank

[June 24, 2010]  CHARLESTON (AP) -- You've heard of a cat stuck in a tree? How about a dog stuck in a tank? The latter is what firefighters found Sunday after people walking by an old water treatment plant in Charleston reported hearing barks from inside.

The town is about 45 miles south of Champaign. It wasn't clear how the Labrador retriever got into the empty concrete tank but it was obvious to firefighters he couldn't get out.

Charleston Fire Chief Pat Goodwin said firefighters climbed down into the 14-foot-deep tank and raised the 80-pound dog using a harness.

Coles County animal control officer Josh Pfoor said the dog was scared but otherwise fine. Pfoor said the dog was given back to his owners, who had reported him missing.

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Information from: Mattoon Journal-Gazette, http://www.jg-tc.com/

[Associated Press]

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