Dachshunds are natural born diggers. Originally bred to sniff out badgers, rabbits, and other burrowing creatures, modern Doxies still retain the desire to scent, chase and dig up prey.
These traits put a handsome wire-haired hotdog named Ralph in a very tight spot last week. The mischievous pooch vanished while on a walk near the family’s English home in Haworth, West Yorkshire only to be discovered nearly 5 days later trapped in an underground rabbit run!
Sarah McLellan is Ralph’s mum. She and her husband searched frantically for the missing pooch, and even created a Facebook page devoted to finding him.
Volunteers came out to help the couple search, but it was Ralph’s Doxie sister, Edie who eventually located him.
It seems Ralph chased a bunny into a maze of underground rabbit runs, and became stuck five feet underground!
Once Edie alerted the humans to Ralph’s predicament, it took two hours to dig him free before the family could be properly reunited. According to Sarah:
“When he got out the hole he went for a wee and then carried on as if nothing had happened!”
Ralph was dehydrated and had lost weight during his ordeal, but suffered no serious injuries.
“Ralph is completely knackered and he has worn down his nails from where he was trying to dig himself out but he is otherwise fine,” Sarah reports.
Sarah hopes that Ralph’s story will encourage other parents of lost dogs to keep the faith – and watch out for rabbit holes!
“I just want this to give people hope that they will find their dogs, you’ve just got to be persistent.”
Featured Images via Facebook/Searching for Ralph
Toledo, United States.
