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Dog Stuck Neck Deep In Mud Rescued By Police Officers In Willistown Township

By Todd Quinones

WILLSTOWN, Pa., (CBS) -- Police officers rescued a dog after he was found stuck in the mud in Chester County.

You have to look closely to see the dog.

In the middle of the screen you can just see his head poking out of a mud pit that nearly swallowed him.

"We just knew we had to get the dog out of there. It was in distress. It wasn't really moving a whole lot," Willistown Township Police Officer Mike Kushner said.

"It just followed us with its eyes, so it was exhausted," Willistown Township Police Sergeant Michael Martin said.

The officers used some boards just to get to Pluto, a 13-year-old Australian Sheppard that had been missing for two and half days.

"I just pictured my own dog and what I would want somebody to do and that's to go get it," Kushner said.

It took the strength of both men to be able to pull him out of the muck.

And when they did, it still wasn't clear if Pluto was going to live.

"I was frantic," dog owner Sheila Shorr said.

On her third day of looking, Shorr found Pluto in a two-foot deep mud pit right near a creek not too far from home.

"It looked dire," she said.

Shorr believes Pluto must have fallen into the mud pit right away; otherwise he would have come home that first night. That means the 13-year-old dog spent roughly 60 hours encased in mud, struggling to survive.

"[Dogs] have so much heart and soul," Shorr said

Pluto has come a long way since being pulled out of the mud May 9th.

His fur is still matted, he walks with a limp, and has some sores that are still healing, but the veterinarian says he is going to be okay.

"This was a dream come true on top of a dream come true to find him and have help come right away," she said.

Shorr can't thank the officers enough.

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