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Dog rescued after falling into 40-foot well

Mudge the Great Dane's owners said the well is on their property, near a trail where their dogs like to run.
Mudge being rescued from a well in North Carolina.
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A North Carolina family is thankful that their dog is OK after falling down a 40-foot well. 

Mudge, an 11-month-old Great Dane, fell in the hole on Saturday. 

Mudge's owners said the well is on their property, near a trail where their dogs like to run. 

Janine Haldan told WRAL that it was her young son who first suspected that Mudge may have fallen in a well, which had been covered with barbed wire to prevent accidents. 

"We found a deer there one day, and it didn't make it," Haldan said. "So we thought, 'Let's barbwire the whole thing around so nobody can get in it.'"

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At 100 pounds, Mudge still managed to fall down the hole. 

Haldan said Mudge could be heard barking, so she called 911. 

Numerous fire departments responded to pull Mudge to safety.

"Crews worked seamlessly together to rescue the dog using rope rescue techniques," the Cary Fire Department said. 

Haldan said a firefighter was lowered into the hole and gave Mudge a boost so the other rescuers could pull him out. 

"They did all of this for my dog, and she is part of our family, truly, so God bless them," Haldane told WRAL.

A veterinarian reportedly checked Mudge out for any injuries, and he appeared to be fine. 

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