They heard barking but couldn’t find the lost dog. Then they looked inside a tree

Two off-duty Kentucky state troopers rescued a dachshund who became trapped after going down a groundhog hole that came out inside a tree.

State police said Sgt. Michael Williams and Trooper Gerick Sullivan were mowing a cemetery in Salem in Western Kentucky on Thursday afternoon when they heard a dog barking in a wooded area.

They searched for several minutes and found the dog, later identified as Rocco, inside a tree trunk and unable to free himself.

After trying unsuccessfully to get the dog out, the troopers called the Salem Fire Department.

Firefighter Daniel Newcomb cut into the tree, allowing Rocco to be freed. He was returned to his owner and the hole in the tree was enlarged so he could get out if he decides to go down the same groundhog hole a second time.

This story was originally published June 5, 2017 at 4:05 PM with the headline "They heard barking but couldn’t find the lost dog. Then they looked inside a tree."