A 13-year-old spaniel named Biscuit was rescued by Santa Barbara firefighters Monday after she fell into a drainage pipe at the north end of Cieneguitas Road.
A man was walking in the area with his three dogs when Biscuit tumbled tail-first into the uncovered 12-inch pipe. It was a 10-foot vertical drop, but firefighters — assisted by County Animal Control — were able to reach the dog from a horizontal vault.
Firefighters gave Biscuit oxygen during the rescue. They made a cinching device with an anchor strap and used two pike poles to maneuver it around the dog’s torso and front legs. They pulled her to safety, and the whole ordeal lasted around 45 minutes.