Danville, VA - A dog has been rescued after being stuck in the mud for more than 24 hours. Danville Humane Society officials found him on the Riverwalk trail near Dan Daniels Park after walkers reported hearing the dog whimpering.

The humane society knows this dog. They say a woman came to the shelter on Wednesday to drop off the dog, but when she took him out of the car, he got scared and ran away.

Meko Purdue was out walking on the Riverwalk trail with family, when she heard something strange.

"I heard the whimpering and the crying and we looked over we saw the dog," Meko said.

She and her sister, Chablee, called 911.

"I looked over the ledge and I saw his face, and I was like it's sitting there and I kept hearing it and hearing it and then that's when everyone came over police and everything and they were like 'we don't see it at all' and I'm like 'it's still under there'," Chablee said.

Animal Control and Humane Society officials found the dog down a steep bank.

"You could just see his head through the branches and leaves and everything stuck in there, he was hiding underneath the tree," Linda Cottrell with Animal Control said.

Rescuers were able to get him out. Paulette Dean with the Humane Society is sure he was out there overnight. She says a woman tried to bring this dog to the shelter on Wednesday.

"When she got him out of the car he got scared and he ran and she let go of the leash so she told us that this dog was now running towards the river," Dean said.

If it hadn't been for Meko’s call, they might not have found him.

"I'm glad we walked back through here, because a lot of people have been walking back and forth and I can't believe no one heard him. It was pretty loud. I just feel like we were in the right place at the right time," Meko said.

He really is a sweet dog. He was taken to the vet and expected to make a full recovery, and he's available for adoption immediately.  If you live in Danville or Pittsylvania County, call the Humane Society.

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