A 12-year-old dog miraculously survived after being buried alive in a sinkhole for 72 hours.
Maverick the German shepherd had went missing on February 4, reports CNN, after he escaped the ‘invisible fence’ at his Parkville home, near Kansas City.
After days of searching owner Lisa Van Valkenburgh heard faint whimpers by the side of a road and believed Maverick may have fallen into a ditch. The truth was much more alarming.
The unfortunate pooch had become trapped underground by a sinkhole and was severely dehydrated when rescuers arrived to dig him out.
Once rescued Maverick was in such poor condition that he had to be rushed to an emergency animal clinic where vets worked for nearly an hour to stabilise him.
The dog had swallowed a considerable amount of clay, punctured his lip, lost a tooth while trapped, and required three days on an antibiotic drip.
Van Valkenburgh told CNN of her shock to have the brave canine home once more.
She said:
It still for the life of me shocks me that I found him.
Incredibly it is not the first time Maverick has defied the odds to survive a perilous situation.
Previously the canine has survived being hit by a car and becoming caught in a racoon trap, CNN reports.
Clearly his will to live is only matched by the curiosity that gets him into trouble to begin with.
Maverick’s electronic collar has now been replaced by a proper leash. Probably a good call.
