Dog falls down uncovered 30-foot well in Minnesota, then helps rescue himself

MORGAN, Minn. – Dog owners know our furry friends can sometimes be almost human in the way they communicate and share their feelings. But this story takes it up a notch. 

An English Springer Spaniel named Gannicus fell down an uncovered well earlier this week in the town of Morgan in Redwood County.

The well is between 16-18 inches wide in diameter, close to the size of a New York-style pizza. There are also several pipes protruding along the well, making this an incredible story for a number of reasons.

Gannicus himself wasn't up for an interview, but he also wasn't shy in front of the camera. The 60-pound pup fell 30 feet into the well. It was a surprise to him, and a shock to his family who only moved here last month.

"I didn't get close enough because I didn't know what it was at that time," said owner Heather Neid.

It was Gannicus' non-stop barking that caught the Neid family's attention. They then called the Redwood County sheriff, who then called Chief Mark Jacobs with the Morgan Fire Department.  

"On the way out we were discussing it, what we were going to do, and we kind of joked around, and I half jokingly said 'Well maybe we have to put a piece of steak on a rope and drop it down there and hopefully he'll grab onto it and pull 'em out,'" Jacobs said.

They didn't have the steak, but they did lower rope with a hoop at the end hoping they would maybe catch a leg. Instead, Gannicus bit and latched on himself.

"As we were pulling him up, the dog was still barking and then all I could see was his white teeth shining back at us," Jacobs said.

According to state officials, more than a million Minnesotans rely on wells for their drinking water, but a lot of wells are not being used anymore. That is why there's a law dating back to 1970s requiring unused wells to be covered.

The law also requires homeowners to disclose all wells on the property, which the Neids said the previous owners didn't do. The well will soon be permanently sealed.

"I appreciate everything you guys did and hope you don't have to do it again," Neid said. "And [Gannicus is] happy, too."

State officials say homeowners have six years to notify the previous owners of any new wells that weren't disclosed, and could be entitled to get money back to seal a well.