A Ventura County family`s pet dog, which was believed to have died when a mudslide damaged homes in Camarillo Springs Friday night, was found alive and well over the weekend.
Heavy rains on Halloween night triggered the mudslide, which affected several homes in the 6400 block of San Como Lane (map).
A flow of mud and rocks broke through two glass doors on Henry Needham’s home, leaving him trapped and unable to move in waist-deep mud.
Firefighters went into the home and rescued Needham, but his dog – a dachshund named “Tinkerbell” – was thought to have been killed in the mudslide.
Then on Sunday, Needham’s grandson heard Tinkerbell barking from inside the home and spotted her in a window.
Tinkerbell was finally rescued by firefighters who went back into the home.
Dozens of neighbors were rooting and cheering as Tinkerbell, covered in mud, emerged from the house, according to Needham.
“It was such a fantastic time, you cannot believe it,” Needham said.
A neighbor shared photos of Tinkerbell being held by Needham’s grandson shortly after the rescue.
Cleanup efforts continued on Monday at several of the homes damaged by the mudslide, which left Needham’s home red tagged.
The mudslide occurred in the vicinity of the Camarillo Springs Fire, which burned some 28,000 acres in Ventura County during April and May last year.
KTLA’s Tracy Bloom contributed to this report.
