A rescue mission to save a vulnerable pooch trapped underground has entered its eighth day as volunteers desperately dig into the hill edge.
It’s a race against time to save Jack Russell, Rose, who plummeted through a 12-inch gap into a rock’s surface on land near Dudley Crescent, Mixenden, near Halifax last Thursday.
Rescuers have been working tirelessly in an attempt to save the beloved pet, who is stuck eight metres underground, with some travelling from as far afield as Scotland and Lancashire.
One dedicated volunteer only briefly abandoned the rescue mission to attend the birth of his daughter, before heading back out to the hillside.
Local businesses have also played a part in the rescue effort by donating food, equipment, and a digger, which her owner said ‘has made a huge difference’.
West Yorkshire Fire Rescue Service made two failed attempts to rescue Rose, and have urged rescuers to consider their own safety whilst trying to retrieve the trapped pooch.
A rescue mission for a small brown Jack Russell named Rose (Pictured) has entered its seventh day
Owner Nicole Prince (Pictured) has been tirelessly keeping locals up to date whilst at the scene in a bid to save her beloved pooch
Volunteers have been working tirelessly to save the distressed dog who fell eight metres into a 12-inch wide crevice near Halifax (Pictured: The site in Dudley Crescent, Mixenden)
A spokesperson from West Yorkshire and Fire Rescue said: ‘On the first occasion there was no sign of the animal except barking, so we left the scene in the hands of the dog’s owner.
‘On the second occasion our cameras picked the animal up approximately 8 metres into the rock face.
‘Unfortunately, our firefighters could not access the animal within the rock as the gap was too narrow (approximately 12 inches at the widest point and getting narrower), the animal was too deep into the rock face, and we could not drill into the rock without damaging the entire structural integrity of the area.
‘We understand that members of the community are still trying to free the dog, our advice to members of the public as always would be to consider their own safety on the terrain.’
Worried owner, Nicole Prince, has been at the scene as teams rush to save her adored pet, whilst regularly updating the public on the mission’s progress.
In a recent video she posted, the dog can be seen being given water via a pipe lodged into the tiny crevice.
Volunteers have urged the public to stay away, so they can keep Rose, who is believed to still be alive, as calm as possible.
Fears have also emerged it may take another ‘four to five’ days free the small brown dog, Lancashire volunteer Kai Newman told ITV.
Volunteers have travelled as far afield as Scotland and Lancashire to try and save Rosie as she remains stuck eight metres underground
In the latest update, one of the crew has said: ‘Rose is still going strong and got a lot of fight left in her.
‘We’re managing to get food and water down to her regularly. Can’t say how long it will take just yet but they’re slowly getting down to her.’
A man at the site, who didn’t wish to be named added: ‘All I’m going to say now is we’re making progress.
‘I’m not sure when she’ll be out but she’s alive and she’s eating and watered. We’re not 100 percent [sure how long it will take] but she will be out and she will be alive.’
Owner Nicole Prince has also thanked everyone involved despite the ‘odd horrible comment’ on social media.
‘Despite what people think about me there is a poor frightened dog stuck not knowing what is going on missing its owners and warm bed,’ she wrote.
‘We are very thankful for every single share every single person whose taken time out of there day to come and help Rose.
‘Please keep your negativity to yourselves its not needed or wanted!! Now lets get Rose out but can I add the positive outweighs the negatives.’
Volunteers have flocked from far and wide to help save Rose, with one man coming from Bradford and sleeping in his van for three nights, the owner claimed on social media.
She told ITV: ‘The lads I’ve spoken to have come all the way from Lancashire and Scotland. They are doing their hardest to get to Rose.
The selfless team have been keeping Rosie alive by feeding her water via a tube tucked into the tiny crevice
Another image of volunteers attempting to give Rose water as she is trapped in the dark cramped crevice
‘They have seen her and given her some water and she’s moving about. We appreciate every single one who has been down helping and continue to help.’
Declan Gallagher, who travelled from Edinburgh, to help rescue Rose told the news outlet: ‘I’ve had my dog stuck before so I came down to help them.
‘It takes days but at least it’s alive,’ he added.
Kai Newman, who hails from Lincolnshire, said: ‘Everyone comes together, and it’s good. You give what you get back, that’s what I’ve been taught.’
As work continues to free the trapped pooch, one rescuer has urged the public to stay away from the site.
He wrote: ‘To anyone that’s going to help today please don’t turn up trying to think of other ways of getting her out as all it is doing is slowing it down by getting in way!
‘If there was a easier way we would of done it just crack on going straight down as we are and she’ll be out in no time.’
A GoFundMe has since been set up to help volunteers, who have been using their own equipment in the bid to save the pooch, replace their broken equipment.
The selfless team, who have been working tirelessly to try and save Rose, have nearly raised £3,000 to buy new tools.
A fundraiser has also been created to help volunteers replace broken tools as they continue to race to save Rose
West Yorkshire Fire Rescue Service made two failed attempts to rescue Rose, and have urged rescuers to consider their own safety whilst trying to retrieve the trapped pooch.
Rosie’s owner Nicole Prince has thanked locals for their support as well as businesses who have donated fuel and food to the rescue mission (Pictured: The scene of the incident)
Created with the permission of both owner Nicole Prince and one of the volunteers, the description read:
‘The volunteers have been working tirelessly for the last 7 days to free Rose the little dog trapped inside cliffs in Halifax.
‘The boys have had various items of expensive equipment broken and destroyed throughout this rescue mission including jack hammers and stihl saws etc.
‘The tools are the volunteers own and used for their small businesses and are expensive to replace.
‘I’m asking everyone to donate and help these guys replace their personal equipment and help with expenses that have occurred through this mission.’
A number of locals have been showered volunteers with praise, dubbing their efforts as ‘beautiful’
Local NIk Lon, 18, said: ‘I think it’s beautiful and it shows how nice people are when they all come together to help a poor animal out. I just think it’s really nice of them.
Nik Lon is one of many locals who have showered the rescue mission team with praise as they try and save the dog
Shane Dewhirst (Pictured) has expressed that the community is well known for coming together
‘Obviously, it’s a shame how she got there. There should be more barriers up there, blocking the cliffs. Hopefully they’ll get her out soon.’
Another resident, Michael Smith added: ‘I hope they get it out. It’s the best thing for it. I really do hope they get it out.’
Shane Dewhirst, who has also lived in the area his entire life, said the community is known for coming together to help each other out.
‘It’s good. The dog is like somebody’s family. Like one of the kids. It’s like of someone’s kid was trapped down there, defenceless and unable to help itself,’ he said.
‘If I could, I’d go down with a digger but there’s nothing I can do.’
