Dog rescued from Arizona tortoise's 'chamber of death'

Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Firefighters responded to an Arizona home to rescue a dog that became trapped in a cavernous hole dug by the owner's pet tortoise.

The Chandler Fire Department posted video of the rescue that resulted Wednesday afternoon when firefighters responded with personnel from the City of Chandler utilities, Arizona Public Service Electric Company and Southwest Gas.

The video shows the rescuers pulling Rubin the schnauzer out of the hole at the end of the four-hour rescue.

Firefighters said Rubin had ended up in the hole while chasing a cat, which eventually emerged from the 6-foot-deep pit on its own.

Toby Passmore, the homeowner, said the hole was a burrow dug by his African spurred tortoise, Scully.

"They're awesome animals," Passmore told KNXV-TV. "It's just if you have a dog that'll go down into the chamber of death that your tortoise digs, it's not a good fit."

Passmore said he's had Scully for more than a decade.