Puppy trapped in pipe at Newport Coast home; rescue attempt fails

A three-hour search for a puppy trapped in a drainage pipe at a Newport Coast home ended in vain Thursday night, authorities said.

The 11-week-old male puppy named Hunter was reported trapped at 20 Vincennes at 6:53 p.m., according to a news release from the Newport Beach Fire Department. The dog found his way into a six-inch pipe left uncovered during work being done on the home’s piping system, the Daily Pilot reported.

“Unfortunately, based off of our experience there yesterday ... we don’t think the dog survived,” Fire Capt. Mike Liberto said Friday.

A fire engine and the department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team responded to the scene, where crews used specialized equipment like confined-space optical cameras to search for the missing canine, Liberto said.

The pipe was part of a graywater system that feeds into the city’s main sewer system, he said. Crews snaked every inch of the pipe and dropped the cameras deep enough to go underwater.

It’s likely the dog drowned, Liberto said.

After hours of searching and finding no trace of the puppy, the pet’s owners opted to suspend the search, he said.

The fire department reminded residents to fill and cover any holes or open pipes in yards to help prevent these types of incidents.

“We like the happy endings ... but we don’t always get [them],” Liberto said.

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