Charlottetown police rescue dog that tumbled down into open manhole

CHARLOTTETOWN – A Charlottetown police officer found himself pursuing a softer breed of miscreant on the weekend.

A dog’s owners called for help after their furry friend fell an estimated 10 to 12 feet into an uncovered manhole around 1 p.m. Sunday.

Upon arrival, Const. Markham Long said he peered into the hole with a flashlight and saw an uninjured but trapped dog — and no way of getting him out.

A ladder was brought in, and Long stripped off much of his gear and went down the hole. It was a large dog, perhaps 80 lbs., and Long said the animal seemed unsure about how he felt about this stranger trying to pick him up.

Long said he got a good hold on the dog, kept him tight despite some squirming, and managed to get him up the ladder to his owners.

“When it came out, it was wagging its tale, running around, and stuff like that,” said Long.

Long’s heroism didn’t end there, though. There was also something he didn’t do: ticket the owners.

“It wasn’t on a lead. We do have a dog bylaw so he is supposed to have a lead,” said Long. “But in this case, common sense will prevail.”

Long said the manhole was in a grassy area near a roadway in an industrial area under development, and the cover was likely pushed off by a passing snowplow.