The Greymouth Volunteer Fire Bridge had to be called in to rescue Coire the black labrador from an abandoned mine shaft in bush at the top of Power Road on Saturday morning.
Coire's owners Helen and Allan Wilson, had left their six-year-old pet with their dog sitter, Allan's sister Thelma Eakin, on Friday night, before they headed to Christchurch.
Mrs Wilson said this morning that Coire did not normally wander off. However, the Eakin's dog Mac died recently and she believes that Coire may have gone looking for "her best mate" and fell down the mine shaft in the process.
The Eakins discovered Coire missing early on Saturday morning and launched a search.
The whimpering dog was discovered by a neighbour of the Eakins, down the shaft.