Pewaukee dog home safe after getting stuck in sewer thanks to community

By Frank Healy

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    PEWAUKEE, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Olive the dog is home safe Wednesday after a daring rescue Monday morning.

Pewaukee police say it’s thanks to the community that helped her when she got trapped in a sewer.

“I opened the garage door to get my garbage can out, and I thought she was on the deck before our walk. When I came back in and closed the door, she wasn’t there,” said Olive’s owner, Riley Whitcomb.

He says Olive is usually a good girl, but Monday morning, when she went missing, he was looking all over Pewaukee and couldn’t find her.

That’s when Detective Craig Drummy, with the Pewaukee Police Department, says beachgoers spotted her chasing some ducks into a culvert and called police.

“We were able to hear the dog in the culvert, and we’re trying to negotiate her to come out. Wasn’t coming out right away,” said Detective Drummy.

Police say this rescue was a community effort, from the beachgoers who initially spotted Olive, to the firefighters who helped, to the businesses who provided treats to get her out of the sewer.

“One of the firefighters came running in and said, ‘do you guys have any dog treats? We have a dog stuck in the sewer!” said VeloCity biker shop owner Scott Hoggatt.

He says he was quick to give them a handful.

Detective Drummy says they managed to lure Olive over to a drain a little ways away from the culvert, with some help from firefighters.

“We got a crowbar and we were able to get the sewer up and off,” said Detective Drummy.

They called Whitcomb using the number on Olive’s collar. When he arrived, he saw everyone who had come out to help.

“I was like, ‘Olive, what did you do now?'” laughed Whitcomb.

While Olive didn’t seem too scared of the drain she was pulled out of, Pewaukee Police Chief Timonthy Heier wants to thank the community for their help saving her from the sewer.

“That’s what we do, I can’t thank enough the citizens that called us,” said Chief Heier .

Whitcomb says he’s especially thankful to have Olive back as well.

“[I want to thank] Kaylee and Adam especially, and the Pewaukee Police Department and Pewaukee City Fire Department,” said Whitcomb.

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