Owner thanks crews who saved dog stuck down well

Dog Rescued After 11 Days Trapped in 13-Foot Well

The owner of a dog trapped in a 13-foot (4-meter) well for 11 days has expressed her deep gratitude to firefighters for “saving his life.”

Dorota Gruszczynska was reunited with her beloved 10-year-old corgi cross, Jimmy, on 2 July — nearly two weeks after he vanished during a walk in Corby, Northamptonshire.

“Jimmy chased something, maybe a deer, and just didn’t come back,” she said. “We searched the area so many times and found nothing. We made posters, shared them online, and got the whole local community involved.”

As days passed, Dorota reached out to Thermal Drone Support Bedfordshire in a desperate attempt to find her missing pet. But as time dragged on, hope began to fade.

“We thought he might’ve been hit by a car and that we’d never see him again,” she admitted.

Then, on 2 July, she received an unexpected message from a firefighter: they had found a dog matching Jimmy’s description — including his distinctive green harness.

Firefighters had been responding to a nearby fire on Stephenson Way when they heard barking coming from a well. Investigating the noise, they discovered Jimmy wedged under some heavy cylinders at the bottom.

The team used a reach pole and rescue lines to carefully lift the objects off the dog and bring him to safety.

“We couldn’t believe it was him,” Dorota said. “We had searched that area and called out for him so many times but never heard him. Somehow, he’d survived all those days.”

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the Corby crew had located the dog during the fire response and, after checking local lost pet pages, were able to contact Dorota.

Jimmy was immediately taken to the vet. “He was starving but not dehydrated,” Dorota said. “We don’t know how he survived — there must have been some water in the well.”

Now back home and recovering well, Jimmy is already back on his feet. Dorota says she’s overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.

“We’re so grateful to everyone who helped — especially the firefighters and the drone team, who worked purely out of the goodness of their hearts. So many people shared his story, and that’s what helped lead him back to us.”