Puppy's rescue from 50-foot hole captivates city in Alabama

The rescue of a deaf, 7-week-old puppy captivated a small town in Alabama -- and a bit of the country watching online -- on Friday. After 30 hours, the puppy was pulled out of a 50-foot hole in the owner's backyard at about 1 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The puppy's owners told Huntsville, Alabama, ABC affiliate WAAY that the puppy, named Toffee, fell into the hole at about 5 p.m. on Thursday. The hole was not big enough for a person to climb down, necessitating a rescue involving everything from cages to nets to lures involving puppy food.

The group of rescuers erupted in cheers as Toffee was finally pulled up from the hole.

"This is a miracle," owner Laura West told reporters who crowded around her and the puppy after the rescue.

Huntsville television stations WHNT and WAFF streamed much of the rescue live on social media or their websites.

Rescuers had told WAAY they were unsure of how long the puppy could live inside the cold ground, and had lowered blankets into the hole to keep Toffee warm.

The crevice was surrounded by large rocks, making it hard to open the hole any larger.