Man Saved From Well After His Rescue Dog Barked For 6½ Hours

A rescue dog called Tanka returned the favor when her owner, Joaquin Gallardo, was rescued after falling down a well in the Spanish countryside. They had been walking in the Rincon de la Victoria area of Malaga, Spain when it happened. It was her incessant barking for six-and-a-half hours that finally brought help.

Rescue dog Tanka rescues her owner

Tanka was rescued by Joaquin Gallardo when she was only 15 days old. He nursed and nurtured her back to good health and now she has returned the favor. After Joaquin fell down a well in an isolated area of the countryside, Tanka barked for six-and-a-half hours in an effort to get him rescued.

Ironically, the incident happened after Tanka ran after a cat and as Gallardo ran after her, he fell into the unmarked well. He was then forced to tread water for six-and-a-half hours to keep his head above water, while Tanka barked constantly.

Gallardo said he was exhausted and on the verge of giving up, while his cries for help went unheard. However, in a scene that could have come straight from Lassie, his faithful dog Tanka refused to leave him.

Meanwhile, it was Tanka’s incessant barking that finally got the attention of two young women, living in a distant house. After listening to it for some time, they decided to investigate to find out what was causing the commotion.

Gallardo’s cries for help were finally heard

The two women were guided by the barking to a patch of isolated ground and finally heard Gallardo shouting for help. It turns out he was stuck in a 10-meter-deep (33-feet) well, with no footing and barely staying afloat. The women immediately called the police and Joaquin was finally hauled to safety, suffering only a few bruises.

Gallardo explained that he had been chatting to his mom via WhatsApp when Tanka ran after the cat. He quickly followed, only to plunge feet first into the well, which had no cover, losing his phone in the process.

Joaquin told NIUS Diario (in Spanish). “I had no footing and the water was freezing.” He said he was shouting for help but no one heard him. Gallardo added:

I thought that this was the end of it but I remembered my uncle Pedro, who always told me never to give up.

Taking his uncle’s words to heart, he kept treading water for six-and-a-half hours while Tanka kept barking. He said she barked so much that the police told him she was a wreck from exhaustion.

Tanka the rescue dog

It was a year ago that Joaquin found Tanka on waste ground near Cartama while walking with friends. He said he heard a strange sound and found her, barely 15 days old and very neglected. Gallardo rescued, nursed and cared for her and now she has returned the favor.