Aug. 12 (UPI) — San Diego County Animal Services officers came to the rescue of a small dog trapped in a storm drain, and later discovered the canine had been missing for over a month.

Animal Services spokesperson Sir Milo Loftin said officers responded to Felicita Avenue in Spring Valley on Monday on a report of an animal trapped in a storm drain.

Officers arrived to find a small dog unable to climb out of the hole.

An officer climbed into the drain and used treats to gain the canine’s trust before hoisting her to another officer waiting above.

“Staff brought her to the Bonita animal shelter, where she was cleaned, fed, vaccinated and checked for a microchip,” Loftin wrote in a news release. “Shelter staff said she appeared underweight, very hungry and had a dirty coat, suggesting she may have been lost for some time.”

A woman came into the shelter later in the day and identified the dog as Teddy, a family dog who had been missing for more than 30 days. The family had been doing daily searches of the area, posting flyers and working with local rescue groups to attempt to find the missing pet.

“While Teddy was initially withdrawn, she became alert the moment she saw her owner, wagging her tail and howling with joy,” Loftin wrote. “Her owner expressed deep gratitude for Teddy’s safe return and thanked staff for their help.”