A Tennessee dog spent three days trapped in a cave with a bear.
The hunting dog, named Charlie, became trapped about 40 feet down an “[extremely] narrow” cave shaft in Sevier County, according to the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department, who assisted in the pup’s rescue.
WCVFD detailed the rescue — which was a joint effort between several local groups — in a Facebook post.
According to the post, Charlie spent a portion of his three days in the cave “unwillingly” sharing it with an approximately 2-year-old, 200-pound bear.
The rescue team that was formed to remove the pup from the cave — and unusual roommate situation — arrived on the scene Tuesday morning. Firefighters Jon Lanier and Tori Downing proceeded to descend into the cave system to rescue the trapped dog.
As Downing was rounding a corner during this first removal attempt, she discovered the bear, who was sleeping just five feet below her. Charlie was trapped deeper in the system.
After this discovery, the pair left the cave, and members of the rescue team set up cameras to monitor the cave mouth, so they would know when the bear exited.
On Wednesday, the team arrived on the scene once more, only this time, the bear was not in the cave.
Lanier, along with firefighters Christian Ellard and Andrew Wojturski, entered the now bear-less cave using a rope system. The trio descended and located the trapped dog, who they then attached to a harness.
Charlie was brought up to the surface, and “quickly reunited with his happy owner,” according to the WCVFD’s post.
In a video of the rescue, somebody off-screen could be heard yelling, “Come on big guy, come on buddy,” as one of the helmet-clad firefighters lifted the black pup out of the cave mouth.
“He was dehydrated and hungry, but in otherwise good condition,” the WCVFD said.
The rescue was a group effort between the WCVFD, Sevier County Fire & Rescue, Sevier County Volunteer Rescue Squad and Catons Chapel-Richardson Cove Volunteer Fire Department.
In the rescue post, the department also revealed that this was not the team’s first go-around.
The same group was previously assembled last year to remove another hunting dog, named Storm, from a “deep cave” in nearby English Mountain.