In Mississippi, three-legged dog vanishes for 3 days, then is pulled from a 20-foot sinkhole

For three days, a three-legged dog from Southaven, Miss., was away from home, and his family had no idea where he had ended up.

He was eventually found alive about two blocks away at the bottom of a sinkhole estimated to be 20 feet deep, as WREG reported.

What happened?

According to his owner, Carla Chadwick, the dog got out of the yard at about 7 p.m. Saturday, and for days she did not know where he was or whether he was safe.

The dog turned up at Airways and Industrial Drive, where a city worker was checking the sinkhole's size and noticed him trapped below.

The worker contacted the Southaven animal shelter, and a veteran animal control officer came to the scene and pulled the dog out.

After the rescue, the dog was reportedly doing well. He was muddy but otherwise fine, though it was unclear how long he had been stranded there.

Why does it matter?

Even a brief escape can turn into an emergency, especially for animals that may already be physically vulnerable. This dog has only three legs, which could have made it nearly impossible for him to get out of the hole on his own.

The incident also shows how sinkholes and road-edge collapses can threaten more than vehicles. A deep opening near homes or businesses can put pets, wildlife, and people at risk before the full extent of the danger is understood.

The rescue began with a routine city inspection. Without the worker noticing movement in the hole, this family's dog may have remained trapped for much longer.

What's being done?

In this case, the response moved from a city inspection to the local shelter and then to animal control, where an experienced officer completed the rescue.

Quick communication between public works teams, shelters, and animal control can speed the rescue of an injured, trapped, or displaced animal.

After three days missing and a fall into a 20-foot sinkhole, this dog made it home muddy but safe.

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