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Woman Recounts Rescuing Dog From Well
By: Taylor Mirfendereski, WOUB Contributing Writer
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UPDATE 6:10 PM An Ohio University professor who became trapped inside a well after attempting to rescue a dog Thursday says she does not regret her decision to rapell into the 25-foot deep well.
Firefighters safely pulled Natalie Kruse, 28, and six-year-old dog Dodge up from the well around noon on Thursday.
Kruse said she was collecting samples at her Athens County property with a colleague and a student when the partially blind terrier schauzer mix, whom she was dog sitting, fell into the well.
"It was like slow motion. We saw it happen and couldn't stop this poor mostly blind dog from falling into the well," said Kruse.
Kruse said she immediately grabbed a rope and harness that she uses for rock climbing, and then lowered into the well with the rope around her waist in an attempt to rescue the dog from the 10-feet deep water. After making the decision to save the dog, she said she forgot to consider her exit strategy.
"I pulled the dog out of the water, clipped him to me, but we just couldn't get back out," she said.
Kruse first solicited the help of her colleague, student and neighbors, who tried to pull her and the dog out of the well before they contacted the local fire department.
"I was scared for the dog, but once I was in there, I've worked in underground mines for years and have rocked climbed more dangerous things than that," said Kruse, explaining that she remained calm while trapped in the well.
She said Dodge's owners were relieved to learn that their dog had been safely rescued, and said she will be dog sitting again next week despite Thursday's big fall.
Firefighters safely pulled a woman and her dog up from a well after she tried to rescue it in an area off old Route 33 in Athens County.
The Richland Fire Department received the call just after 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
According dispatchers the woman, Natalie Kruse, was lowered into the well with a rope around her waist in an attempt to rescue the dog.
Kruse is an assistant professor of Environmental Studies at Ohio University.
Family members helping Kruse were not able to pull her back out from the well with 10-foot deep water.
The well is in an area near the Last Chance Corral near Shade.