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Arizona Humane Society rescues goat swept into west Phoenix irrigation pipe during monsoon storm
PHOENIX - An 8-month-old goat was freed by the Arizona Humane Society during a two-day rescue operation after the animal fell into an irrigation pipe in west Phoenix.
AHS says a homeowner near 43rd Avenue and Thomas Road heard a neighbor's goat's cries coming from underground on August 17 after a huge storm had hit the area.
The humane society's medical technicians responded to the scene and found that the goat had fallen into the irrigation pipe, but they were unsure of its exact location.
After two hours, the AHS crew decided to abort the rescue until they could return the next day with a snake camera to try and find the goat's exact location.
(Arizona Humane Society)
On Aug. 18, the AHS returned to the scene with the snake camera, PVC pipes, shovels, and a sledgehammer to break through the irrigation pipe. They attached 100 feet of PVC pipe to the snake camera in order for it to extend further into the irrigation system but were still unable to find the goat.
"We could not lay eyes on the goat at all, we never saw him before we started chipping away," AHS medical technician Gracie Watts said. "We just kind of went by faith as to where we thought he was."
The crew dug for three hours before finally finding the goat.
An 8-month-old goat was freed by the Arizona Humane Society during a two-day rescue operation after the animal fell into an irrigation pipe in Phoenix. (Arizona Humane Society)
One of the medical technicians was then able to reach the goat, pulling him to safety.
"We were never going to quit, but you get to that point where you start telling yourself that this isn't going to happen," Andy Gallo said. "He would've drown down there if we left him."
The baby goat was eventually reunited with his goat friends.
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