Community rallies together to save dog in need

A dog trapped in a culvert in Ashland was rescued July 1 after community members came together to save the four-legged friend.

The stray dog was found in a narrow culvert by a man identified as “Mr. Mario” on Junction Road near Prentice Park.

Because there is no animal control officer for Ashland, Mario called the Chequamegon Humane Association for help. In a matter of minutes, CHA Director Kari Olinger and company arrived. They tried several ways to get the dog out, but to no avail.

Out of ideas, they called the fire department, but they were unsuccessful and eventually had to respond to another emergency elsewhere, Olinger said.

“Everybody’s idea of an emergency is a little different. We try to help whenever we can and balance those requests with more traditional emergency situations,” said Fire Chief Stuart Matthias.

Eventually a representative from the Department of Natural Resources arrived to help out. Then Olinger and others decided to put a plea out on social media for a remote controlled car. They hoped that might startle the dog and it would run out.

Concerned resident Cole Berglund saw the post and wanted to help. He tried driving the car up and down the culvert, but that too didn’t work. The dog was too scared to move.

With nothing to lose, Berglund figured he would crawl in and try to get the dog out using a pole with a dogcatcher on the end. Olinger and company tried using it before, but couldn’t get the catcher around its neck.

“I could tell it was sick, and weak. I was in there for five minutes to try and comfort it. I didn’t want to scare it. I persuaded it to move its head, and got the rope around its head. I started crawling backwards to pull the dog out. It was fighting me at first.

Olinger thanked him for his efforts.

“His remarkable determination and unwavering efforts were successful in the end,” she said.

The dog was named Cole after Berglund, who grew up with dogs. As an owner of three huskies, he knows how scary it can be when a dog is unaccounted for.

“There’s nothing better to come home to than a dog that’s happy to see you. Huskies are escape artists. I know what it’s like to lose a dog. If one was missing, I would like help to find mine,” he said.

The dog was transported to the Ashland Area Veterinary Clinic for treatment. As of Tuesday morning, Olinger said the dog remains in intensive care.

A microchip was found in the dog, but it came back to St. Cloud, Minnesota, so Olinger believes the dog was abandoned.

A fundraiser has been posted on the CHA’s Facebook page to raise funds for the dogs medical costs, which Olinger said isn’t cheap.