Puppy survives week in rabbit hole

NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, England, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- British animal authorities said a puppy rescued from a rabbit hole was likely trapped underground for more than a week, surviving on condensation and body fat.

Craig Brown, an animal control officer in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England, said council workers digging in the town discovered the Jack Russell terrier, nicknamed Hope, trapped 4 feet into a rabbit hole, The Sun reported Thursday.

Brown said the dog likely survived by licking condensation from the walls of the tunnel.

"The dog was very, very skinny when we found her, just a bag of bones with skin draped over it," he said. "The dog must have been there for at least week, probably even longer. She is extremely lucky to survive."

Staff at the Croft Veterinary Clinic, where Hope is being cared for, said they are trying to track down the dog's owners.