Firefighters Create Unique Rescue Plan to Save Dog That Fell 40 Ft Down Well

Two Illinois fire departments joined forces this week to save a dog that had fallen down a well.

A pup named Rico had been walking from his owners' house to a neighbor's on Monday when he accidentally fell down a 40-foot well, the Prairietown Fire Department said on Facebook Tuesday.

Firefighters dropped everything to save Rico and called in help from the neighboring county to create a plan to get him out of the deep hole.

"Huge shout out to Edwardsville Fire Department for sending out their confined space/technical rescue team!!! This would have been a different story without you," the Prairietown department wrote on Facebook.

"Edwardsville FD came in and got the little guy out. They used specialized training to go down the well," they continued.

The Belleville News-Democrat reported that the technical team created a pulley system by putting a tripod on top of the well so that they could lower a firefighter down into the tight space.

"Rico is doing well and was happy to see everyone once he was freed!" the Prairietown department wrote.

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On Monday, the department shared on Facebook that it was "one of those calls that reminds us why we do this."

"Why when the pager goes off during dinner, bedtime stories with our kids, or family events we go running out the door. When we got a call about Rico being down a 40 ft well we all feared the worst. We called Edwardsville Fire Department in for some help and with their heroic efforts Rico is safe and giving us doggy kisses!!!"