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Firefighters And Public Works Team Crawl Quarter Mile To Rescue Blind And Deaf Dog

September 3, 2025

A family in Lacombe, Louisiana, faced a terrifying day when their blind and deaf dog went missing — but thanks to teamwork, technology, and a lot of determination, their beloved pup made it home safe.

Credit: Joe Impastato

The small dog was eventually tracked down using an AirTag, which revealed he was trapped deep inside an underground drainage system.

That’s when Public Works teammates Gerald Cousin and Jason Collins, along with firefighters from Fire District 3, jumped into action. They crawled nearly a quarter mile through the subsurface drain to reach the stranded pup and bring him back to safety.

Councilman Joe Impastato also joined in the effort, showing just how powerful a community can be when people come together.

"These men did not hesitate to climb in a culvert and go at least 1/4 of a mile down it to rescue the dog," Impastato said. "It was almost dark, we were getting eat up by mosquitoes, had to walk deep into the woods, saw snakes and more. They didn’t complain, they jumped in and got the job done. I am truly proud of them."

Credit: Joe Impastato