UPDATE
Badger has been found!
People joined in the search with shovels and animal rescue groups put a call out for plumbers to bring scope cameras and heat sensor equipment.
Ms Bieniek said Badger was found at 8pm on Monday by a gang of young people who turned up with spades.
“One was a plumber who knew about rabbiting and he knew just where to dig and from there all seemed to flow and make sense,” she said.
“Badger was stuck, and growled all the way through his extraction, but no injury or ill effects to note.
“Thanks to all for caring.”
EARLIER
Dog owners have been warned to be careful after a three-legged Jack Russell went missing down a rabbit hole in Altona on Sunday.
Hobsons Bay SES volunteers, council rangers and members of the community searched into the night after “Badger” disappeared around midday near The Pines Scout camp and Altona dog beach.
Owner Annie Bieniek resumed the search on Monday.
She adopted Badger about four years ago after he was hit by a car and lost a front leg.
She was looking for a mate for her other Jack Russell, Beaver.
Ms Bieniek said she had been walking in the grass behind the dog beach as Badger socialised with his canine friends.
“I just got a bit distracted and the next thing I know, ‘Oh no, where’s Badger!’
“And I ran and there’s no Badger and Beaver’s standing over a rabbit hole looking dreadfully excited as if he’s going to go down there next.
“Jack Russells can live up a rabbit hole for a while, but because he’s got three legs he can’t dig himself out.”
She said Badger had previously been rescued twice after going down rabbit holes in Newport and Spotswood.
“He’s a very rabbit-orientated Jack Russell who thinks he’s got 20,000 lives.”
Hobsons Bay SES deputy controller Simon Hetherton said his crew had searched in vain for Badger on Sunday.
“We followed the initial report of where the dog was last suspected to be and we followed that rabbit warren, which ended up being a dead end,” he said.
“Then we investigated a few ones in close proximity to that and by the end of it we were beaten – it just kept going and going and going.”
