Animal welfare officers and firefighters in Stillwater, Oklahoma, worked together to rescue a dog found trapped inside an outdoor drain covered by heavy metal bars. The joint response came after witnesses reported spotting the animal stuck in the drain and contacted local authorities.
Stillwater Animal Welfare, a division of the Stillwater Police Department, dispatched officers to the scene. Recognizing they would need additional help to move the obstruction, they called on the Stillwater Fire Department for assistance.
The incident came to light through a Stillwater Animal Welfare Facebook post, as also reported by UPI. Firefighters removed the thick metal drain cover, allowing officers to lift the female dog out and take her to a veterinarian to check for any ill effects from being trapped in the heat. Temperatures in Oklahoma in June regularly climb into the 90s, meaning time in an enclosed drain with limited airflow could pose a serious risk to an animal.
Two departments, one drain, and a dog that needed both of them
Officials said they are still working to identify and contact the dog’s owner. It remains unclear how long the dog had been stuck or how she ended up in the drain in the first place. Amid other recent stories involving unsupervised dogs, an Amazon driver taking a dog from an unattended backyard also drew attention this week to what can happen when pets are left without oversight.
Stillwater Animal Welfare operates out of the Karen Kay Mullendore Municipal Animal Complex and handles calls ranging from dogs at large to reports of neglect. The department processes over 1,300 animal intakes annually and maintains a 24-hour emergency line at (405) 372-4171.
Rescue situations involving animals in distress have drawn public attention in recent months, including a diver who freed a dolphin off the coast of Los Angeles. The dog rescued from the Stillwater drain appeared uninjured and is expected to make a full recovery.
Published: Jun 11, 2026 07:00 am