By Dan Parker
A miniature daschund called Nigel has been reunited with his family after surviving for six days trapped down a rabbit hole without food and water.
Nigel had been missing and presumed dead, but now he's back enjoying Easter with those who love him.
He was only found during a last-ditch search effort.
"I just looked down and saw this red fluff hanging out of a deep, deep hole," says owner Joanne Hudepohl, "and came screaming home to my children and husband and said, 'I've found him!' I was hysterical, and said he's dead."
But Nigel wasn't, and on closer inspection Robin Hudepohl noticed movement.
"I thought I was seeing things, then I heard this muffled yelping noise and looked up above, thought someone was calling me, and both his legs started twitching - that's when I realised he was still alive."
The Hudepohls couldn't have been happier. Nigel was rushed to the vet. He was hungry and thirsty, and had cheated death - but that's becoming a family tradition.
Mr Hudepohl, a former police officer, was badly beaten attempting to arrest a criminal in 1996.
Nigel can spend Easter with his family and not in the hole they dug for him - or the one he was stuck in.
Taryn Hudepohl thought maybe he was trying to catch the Easter Bunny. And even though he failed, he's still managed to end up with his own piece of Easter.
3 News
source: newshub archive
