Dramatic video captures the moments when Nevada law enforcement officers had to conduct a rescue mission on a donkey stuck in a mining hole.
The rescue occurred around 1 p.m. Thursday, December 1 in a rural area outside of Rhyolite, Nevada, a ghost town just about 10 miles east of the California border.
A hiker had reported a report of a wild donkey trapped in a hole in an abandoned mine, according to officials with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.
“Captain Boruchowitz led a rescue team with a deputy and two animal control officers,” an agency official said in a video news release.
Rescuers didn’t hesitate to spring into action and rescue a donkey stranded in an old mining tunnel in Nye County, Nevada
The group used a rope and pulley system to pull the donkey out of the hole
Upon arrival, MPs found the entrance to the mine tunnel was on top of a mountain range and said the scenery made it “difficult to access by any vehicle”.
Law enforcement officers were forced to “traverse the rough terrain” to rescue the animal, which was trapped in a 10-foot hole in the old mining tunnel entrance.
When rescuers finally got to where the donkey was stuck, they found the animal responsive but hungry and dehydrated. The animal appeared otherwise in good condition.
The group was able to use a rope and harness to properly secure the animal before attempting to pull it out.
Assistance was called from the Beatty Fire Brigade and rescuers were able to use a pulley system to pull the donkey up as it was secured by the harness.
According to the agency, the rescue took “several hours” and was ultimately “successful”.
The entrance to the mine was at the top of a mountain range, so the group of officers had to hike to the top
The rough terrain made it impossible for vehicles to get to the entrance of the tunnel where the donkey is said to have stranded
The donkey was finally rescued just before 6 p.m. Thursday, an official with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office said.
Once pulled out of the hole, the donkey wasted no time and “ran off”.
The animal appeared unharmed in the incident.
Law enforcement officials are currently working to close the entrance to the mining tunnel to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The donkey ran off and appeared unharmed after being pulled out of the hole
“We are now working to close this entrance so this doesn’t happen again,” Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly said.
The sheriff thanked her crew and others involved for their “extraordinary effort” in saving the life of an innocent animal.
“I want to thank everyone for their extraordinary effort, for climbing a mountain, walking down a mine shaft and rescuing the poor little animal that was in a 10-foot hold,” Wehrly said.
“It really makes me feel good to see people work together and get a job done. And it feels so good to send a little animal on its way,” she continued.
The entrance to the mine hole will be closed to prevent future incidents, officials said
The group also received widespread praise for their efforts on social media. The video, posted on her Facebook page, has been viewed more than 4,500 times.
Their post has also garnered hundreds of likes and dozens of comments from local residents thanking them for their actions.
‘This is fantastic! Thank you to everyone who helped with the rescue! You are all angels,” one person wrote.
‘Love that! Thanks for rescuing that poor donkey,” wrote another, using the Spanish word for donkey.
‘Terrific!!! Bless all involved in the rescue. Call the Wanderer!’ said another Facebook user.
Commenters on the Nye County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page were quick to thank them for their actions in rescuing the stranded animal