GOLD HILL — A Gold Hill family let their dog out Friday night, and it never came home.

At some point during the dog’s excursion, it fell down a mine shaft and could not get out.

Gold Hill Fire Chief Matt Brock said that his deputy chief got a call about the animal’s entrapment on Saturday morning, prompting a response from his department.

Additional help from Salisbury’s rescue task force was called in to assist.

The mine shaft is located on St. Stephens Church Road and is one of many scattered throughout the old mining village. Brock estimated that the dog was trapped about 20-30 feet below the shaft’s entrance.

Despite the multitude of mine shafts in the area, Brock said it was the first time in his 20+ years of fire service that he has ever had a rescue of that kind, including people being trapped in a mine.

He was relieved once they retrieved the canine, which he described as a smaller dog like a terrier.

“People are animal lovers,” Brock said. “They are just like family.”

As such, the chief was glad this story had a happy ending.