The pressure on social networks grew as fast as the sinkhole itself that has impacted the country: thousands joined the demand to rescue Spay and Spike, the two dogs that fell into the gigantic hole.
However, Governor Miguel Barbosa insisted that there would be no authorization to try to save pets, because that would mean risking the lives of one or more people.
“If something happens, who is going to save the dog’s savior?” Barbosa told the media in an attempt to argue his refusal to try to rescue the lomitos.
But the pressure continued to mount and celebrities, such as the Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez, joined the campaign insisting that only the authorization of the government was missing.
At the same time, dozens of onlookers, the media and rescue groups gathered in the vicinity of the sinkhole, on a plot of Santa María Zacatepec, in Puebla.
Fatima Ortega, owner of one of the dogs that fell into the sinkhole, said that “Spay” always plays in the area with other puppies, but she never imagined that she would fall into the hole because her house is 250 meters (273 yards) from the place.
“Animal associations are helping me to listen to me, they will help me, there are rescuers who want to come without the need for the government to pay them, they will do it from the heart, the government does not want to give us support,” said Ortega.
The long-awaited order to start the rescue finally arrived, but the participants had to suspend the actions due to the bad weather that augured a copious rain, at least.
The public insisted on remaining on the site and luckily for everyone, the weather improved and the actions began when around 12 rescuers approached the sinkhole and began an action called controlled zip-lining, which included the descent with cages.
And even when the first attempts failed, because Spay and Spike refused to enter the cages to be transferred to the surface, the rescuers persisted until they achieved their mission.
When they were finally brought to safety and the entire rescue team was also out of the sinkhole, the people at the scene – who broadcast the actions on different social media accounts – applauded and expressed their joy in various ways.
Spay and Spike were inspected for good condition and then handed over to their owners.