Video: N.Y. Police Officers Rescue Dog Trapped in Collapsed Cesspool

Suffolk County police officers used a catch pole and ladder to pull a dog out of a collapsed backyard cesspool in Shirley after the canine fell into the pit and couldn't climb out.
March 11, 2026

What to know

  • Suffolk County police officers rescued a small dog that fell into a collapsed backyard cesspool Friday morning.
  • Officers Anthony Cardinale and John Phalen used a ladder and an animal catch pole to lift the dog out of the pit.
  • The dog was uninjured but shaken and dirty after the ordeal, police said.

New York police officers, helped by firefighters, rescued a dog in "a sticky situation" laster week after the canine fell in a collapsed cesspool.

The rescue happened just after 7:15 a.m. Friday when Suffolk County police responded to call concerning a small dog that had fallen into a backyard cesspool and couldn't climb out, the department stated in a social media post, which include body camera footage of the incident. With help from firefighters, Officers Anthony Cardinale and John Phalen used a ladder and animal catch pole to pull the dog out of the pit.

“Sorry, buddy, this might hurt a little bit,” one of the officers is heard saying in the body camera footage the catch pole was secured around the dog to lift it from the pit. 

The dog was "shaken up and in desperate need of a bath" but was uninjured, the department stated. 

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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