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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Digger used to free trapped dog | Digger used to free trapped dog |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A mechanical digger was brought in to rescue a dog that had been trapped underground for a week. | |
| Under the glare of arc lights, the machine shifted 10 tonnes of earth to create a series of trenches to find three-year-old Lakeland Terrier, Tyke. | |
| A firm supplied the equipment for the operation after being contacted by the dog's owner Stephen Walling. | A firm supplied the equipment for the operation after being contacted by the dog's owner Stephen Walling. |
| Tyke had gone missing down a badger sett while being walked in Castleside, County Durham. | Tyke had gone missing down a badger sett while being walked in Castleside, County Durham. |
| The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 bans anyone from interfering with a sett and a licence needs to be granted. | The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 bans anyone from interfering with a sett and a licence needs to be granted. |
| Satellite sett | Satellite sett |
| Natural England spokesman Jim Milner said it granted the licence because it was a satellite badger sett, rather than the main one. | |
| He said: "In that situation there was a live dog down there which everyone knew was alive. | He said: "In that situation there was a live dog down there which everyone knew was alive. |
| "From the badger point of view the fact that it wasn't a main sett meant that there was less risk to the badger. It was probably not a breeding sett." | "From the badger point of view the fact that it wasn't a main sett meant that there was less risk to the badger. It was probably not a breeding sett." |
| He said an officer supervised the work and found no sign of current badger activity. The sett also had to be reinstated after the work. | He said an officer supervised the work and found no sign of current badger activity. The sett also had to be reinstated after the work. |
| 'Cry for help' | 'Cry for help' |
| Mr Walling got in touch with Mechplant North East Ltd to ask them for help. | |
| When all the permissions were granted they moved on to the site on Wednesday afternoon with a 360 degree excavator. The company provided its services free of charge. | |
| Managing director Stephen Makinson said: "It was really a cry for help from the dog's owner on Tuesday. | Managing director Stephen Makinson said: "It was really a cry for help from the dog's owner on Tuesday. |
| "At first we were a bit hesitant because there were various bodies involved but once we were told all the people involved had given their permission we moved one of our machines there. | "At first we were a bit hesitant because there were various bodies involved but once we were told all the people involved had given their permission we moved one of our machines there. |
| "It's certainly not what we usually do as a construction company. We don't often get people saying can you come and rescue my dog. It has been good." | "It's certainly not what we usually do as a construction company. We don't often get people saying can you come and rescue my dog. It has been good." |