Young girl helps rescue trapped Great Dane, reunites him with his family in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A Great Dane who got stuck in a culvert in Colorado Springs is now back safe with his family, thanks to the quick actions of a young girl and a team of dedicated animal law enforcement officers.

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) says the rescue happened last week, when a young girl who was outside playing heard what sounded like a dog whimpering.

According to HSPPR, the girl followed the sound to the edge of her yard and looked down into the concrete culvert below, where she discovered a trapped Great Dane. The dog, whose paws were raw and bleeding from his numerous attempts to climb out, appeared exhausted and frightened, the shelter said.

The girl immediately called for her father, who quickly contacted Animal Law Enforcement. While they waited for officers to show up, the shelter said the girl stayed by the fearful dog's side, comforting him through the entire scary ordeal.

"When our officer arrived, she was waiting, like a guardian angel with a ponytail, ready to explain everything, with her dad chiming in on the details," HSPPR said.

The officer scanned the Great Dane for a microchip and discovered that his name was Bruce, and that he was nine years old, HSPPR said.

"A gentle giant who was so exhausted and frightened that he could no longer stand. He’d tried with everything he had to climb out… and he had nothing left to give," the shelter wrote in a social media post.

So the officer called for backup, and alongside another Animal Law Enforcement officer, worked to slide a stretcher under 100-pound Bruce and lift him to safety.

Back at HSPPR's shelter, a little holiday magic kicked in; thanks to Bruce's microchip, volunteers were quickly able to locate his family, who had been searching for him and fearing the worst.

In a social media post, the shelter thanked the brave girl who stayed with Bruce and comforted him while he was rescued, and the animal law enforcement officers who brought the gentle giant to safety.

"Sometimes the greatest gifts don’t come from the North Pole. Sometimes they come from ordinary people who choose to be heroes," the shelter wrote.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.