A Michigan State Trooper helped rescue an 11-year-old dog named Sophie who had fallen into a gas line hole while on a walk with her owner. According to WZZM13, the incident occurred around 10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, in Watervliet Township. The hole was estimated to be five to six feet deep, a perilous trap for the mid-sized canine.
Body camera footage shows Trooper Justin Van Nuil of the Michigan State Police Niles Post responding to the emergency. In a statement obtained by Mid Michigan Now, troopers detailed the rescue where Van Nuil, familiarized himself with Sophie then crafted a welch hitch to pull the dog to safety, a technique not commonly part of a state trooper's repertoire.
The rescue operation resulted in no harm coming to Sophie, who, alongside her grateful owner, was able to continue their nightly walk. "That's one you haven't done before, have you?" Sophie's owner asked, a moment captured on the body camera, to which Van Nuil responded, "I've done a lot of things, I've definitely wrangled a couple of dogs," and added that he had "never pulled 'em out of a little three-foot hole," as reported by WZZM13.
In a social media post shared by MSP Fifth District on X, the Michigan State Police highlighted their commitment to the community, stating, "Our number goal is to protect and serve the entire community, be it our beloved residents or their precious furry family members." Further expressing that the successful rescue "brightens your day as it did mine."
Our number goal is to protect and serve the entire community, be it our beloved residents or their precious furry family members. 11-year-old Sophie and her owner couldn't have been more relieved when Niles Post Tpr. Justin Van Nuil responded to a dog trapped in a large hole last… pic.twitter.com/Ko34pZAhKL
— MSP Fifth District (@MspSouthwestMI) October 18, 2024
