Dog in drain pipe rescued near State College. Outcome was ‘best it could be’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Volunteer firefighters rescued a dog trapped in a drain pipe near State College.
- Crews used tools like a camera, saws and a backhoe to reach the dog.
- The dog's rescue required cutting a pipe and road.
A dog pinned in a drain pipe was rescued Tuesday in Boalsburg, an effort spearheaded by more than a dozen volunteer firefighters who worked nearly six hours in search of a creative solution.
Blizzard, an 11-year-old Shiba Inu, ran into the pipe about 7:20 p.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Andover Drive, Boalsburg Fire Co. Chief Van Winter told the Centre Daily Times. It was unclear why.
Owner Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, who was visiting Happy Valley from Morgantown, West Virginia, attempted to coax the all-white dog out. But Winter said it was stuck in sediment about 25 feet into the pipe. Improvisation soon followed.
Rescuers first used a fan to blow air into the dog’s face, hoping it would back out — no luck. Next was a more powerful and louder leaf blower, but that didn’t work either. A rigid fire hose and attempts to pull on on Blizzard’s leash failed too.
Running low on ideas, the fire company asked the University Area Joint Authority to bring a specialized camera so rescuers could have a better idea of how the dog was stuck. They removed some of the sediment with a vacuum, but it wasn’t enough to free Blizzard.
The rescue crew then used saws and a backhoe to cut open the road and the pipe. After even more sediment was removed, Blizzard was freed about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday and was met with cheers, a blanket, a hug, a hot dog and more treats.
The dog was uninjured, Winter said.
“Good boy,” one man could be heard saying on a video posted by the fire company. “Did you get whatever you were chasing?”
The rescue unfolded as Brefczynski-Lewis’ 6-year-old daughter looked on with curiosity and unease, at least until she fell asleep. With rain in the forecast Wednesday, rescuers were also working against the clock.
“I was kind of trying to not be emotional and then as soon as he came out, the tears came,” Brefczynski-Lewis said.
Blizzard has slept more than usual Wednesday, Brefczynski-Lewis said, though he’s still had enough energy to chase a cat in the yard. And even after more than a decade together, Brefczynski-Lewis said Blizzard’s frenzied night showed her to not take him for granted.
“He’s a character of a dog,” Brefczynski-Lewis said. “Sometimes I love character dogs more than I’ll-be-happy-and-please-you-at-every-moment dogs. That’s what I like about Blizzard. He’s been a joy to watch all day.”
About 14 members of the fire company responded, in addition to UAJA employees and dozens of interested neighbors. Rescuers didn’t leave the scene until about 1:50 a.m. and later had to clean their muddy equipment.
Winter cast the rescue as uncommon, one that may only come up once every decade.
“It’s a personal gratification that we were able to do it and make the family happy because we were able to save their dog,” Winter said. “Most of the people that were there own dogs, so if that was our dog we would want the same thing done.”
Cutting the road and pipe — which Harris Township must now replace — was viewed as a last resort. Manager Mark Boeckel said Wednesday morning the township did not yet have an estimate on how much the replacement would cost.
Winter said that was of no relevance in the decision-making process. After all, leaving Blizzard in the pipe was not an option.
“We achieved what our goal was and the outcome was the best it could be,” Winter said.
Brefczynski-Lewis said she choked up Wednesday thinking of the compassion, hard work and creativity of those who save her dog’s life.
“I felt like this is who we are as human beings,” Brefczynski-Lewis said. “It restored my faith in humanity to see how much everyone was rooting for a dog they had never seen before.”
This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM.