A beloved dog in England is safely back home after spending two terrifying days trapped underground inside a badger sett.
Cello, a 6-year-old Parson Russell Terrier, disappeared while out on a walk with his owner, Stephen Smith, in Nottinghamshire on Aug. 17.
Smith told the BBC that Cello had been walking with another dog when both animals vanished from sight. The second dog eventually returned — but Cello did not.
That dog then helped lead Smith to the spot where Cello had disappeared.
Smith soon realized his dog had gone underground into a badger sett, a network of tunnels and chambers used by badgers.
He contacted Notts Lost Dogs, a volunteer search-and-rescue group, which began working to locate Cello.
Using a camera, volunteers were eventually able to confirm that the little terrier was still alive beneath the ground.
“It was very stressful, but we could hear him barking, so we knew he was still alive,” volunteer Kim Jefcott told the BBC.
But getting Cello out was not as simple as grabbing a shovel.
Badgers and their setts are legally protected in England, and disturbing or damaging a sett can be a criminal offense. Natural England says anyone who cannot avoid interfering with a badger sett may need a special license before work can begin.
That meant rescuers had to wait for permission before digging.
For Smith, those hours were agonizing.
He said he barely slept or ate while waiting, knowing Cello was alive somewhere below but unable to reach him.
Once permission was granted, volunteers returned alongside firefighters, police and Natural England personnel.
Rescuers carefully began digging into the area where they believed Cello was trapped.
They eventually located him about two feet underground.
Smith said crews dug at an angle until part of the tunnel gave way. A camera was lowered into the opening — and suddenly, rescuers spotted a pair of eyes staring back at them.
They widened the hole, and Cello finally emerged.
Video shared by Notts Lost Dogs shows rescuers clearing soil and shining lights into the tunnel before the little dog’s dirt-covered face appears.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Cello was understandably exhausted.
Jefcott said he had some irritation around his eyes from dirt and sand, but otherwise remained the friendly little dog everyone knew.
After two days underground, he was dehydrated, hungry and ready for sleep.
Smith said Cello slept for nearly 24 hours after returning home.
Then, just like that, he was back to acting like himself — and even wanted to go for another walk.
The ordeal left Smith with one very clear realization.
After two days of fear, waiting and uncertainty, he said he understood more than ever just how attached he had become to his dog.
And for Cello, one underground adventure was probably more than enough.