On October 10, Sabitha and Ashraf, a couple who run a shop in a village bordering Palakkad-Malappuram districts of Kerala, heard a dog wailing. They searched but couldn't find where the wails and whimperings came from. They heard the same cries of a dog for two more days until on October 12, the family decided to undertake a closer inspection. Finally, they found where the wailing came from — beneath a mound of mud.
The dog and her two puppies were buried below the mud in a minor landslide in Palakkad district. They were rescued three days after the landslide took place in the border village of Palakkad-Malappuram district near Kanjirathani of Kumaranelloor. The family took the help of an animal rescuer to get the dogs out of the mud.
"We heard a wailing sound of a dog in this area for three days. There was a minor landslide due to the rains and they were trapped under the mud. We could hear only the muffled sounds. We dug out the mud a bit and saw the dog's head. When we dug further, we saw six pups. However, only two of the pups survived. Now, the mother dog and her surviving babies have regained health and they are safe," Ashraf told the media.
In the video shared by the residents in the area, the mother dog could be seen putting her head out as soon as a small portion of the mud was removed. It then started wailing desperately. Her puppies were lying close to their mother. The residents pulled them out, cleaned them and gave them food and water.
The residents, who were amused how the dogs managed to survive for three days beneath the mud, arranged a small shelter for the mother dog and her puppies below a mobile tower, to ensure they do not get wet due to the rains. They also provide them with food regularly, said Ashraf.
Watch: The dog and her puppies being rescued