Rescue Dispatched to Save Trapped Dog, No One Prepared for What They Find

Animal-rescue volunteers were dispatched to reports of a dog trapped in a ditch earlier this week, only to discover that it was a statue.

After multiple sightings of a dog stuck in a ditch at a vacation park in northeast England, volunteers quickly mobilized to help the potentially stuck animal.

"It happened on March 2 at around 6 p.m.," a spokesperson from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue in northeast Lincolnshire told Newsweek. "We received over five tags on the original post and direct calls."

Volunteers scrambled quickly to locate the animal at Cleethorpes Beach, formerly Thorpe Park Holiday Centre. Incredibly in less than 20 minutes, the problem was solved, and rescue teams had located the cause of the reports—an abandoned stone dog statue.

"On our arrival, Thorpe Park staff had already recovered the statue," said Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue.

Based in Cleethorpes, near Grimsby, the volunteer wildlife rescue service works to support injured wildlife in and around the local area, responding to reports from the public on everything from injured marine life to abandoned birds.

Last month, the story of a dog who really was in trouble gained viral attention after a man and woman rescued a pup from the side of a bridge in Long Beach, southern California.

The moment of the rescue was filmed and has gained more than 94 million views on Instagram.

Relieved that there was no dog in danger, staff members from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue shared the story on their official Facebook page, where the team added: "Thank you to those who reported with good intent, and thank you to our water rescue volunteers for their immediate response—on scene and ready to go in less than 20 minutes."

In comments on the social-media post, many people praised the way in which the volunteers worked hard to rescue a potential animal in trouble.

"Amazing that so many people scrambled to check this out, and in such a short space of time too," posted Janey.

Sharon wrote: "Thank you forgoing to check this out."

"Thank goodness," added Sally. "It looked so real in the original photo, well done to the person who reported it, they must have been mortified."

The statue has been collected and is being kept at the reception of the Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue office where staff have said anyone who wants to reclaim it is welcome to come by—although it is now a little damaged from the adventure.