Man Dies Rescuing Newborn Puppies From Collapsed Burrow

A 65-year-old man died after crawling into an underground burrow to rescue newborn puppies, with two puppies found dead at his side. His granddaughter revealed he was a devoted dog lover who would go hungry rather than let his dogs miss a meal.

On September 19, Ban Bueng police in Chachoengsao province received a report from the Ban Bueng Moral Rescue Foundation about a man trapped inside a burrow in the Noen Grawad area, Nong Irun subdistrict. Medical teams from Ban Bueng Hospital and rescue volunteers were dispatched. The incident occurred in a grassy area near a drainage canal within a residential property. The burrow, about 60 centimeters in diameter, was covered with grass, and a human foot was visible at its opening.

Rescue workers dug approximately 30 centimeters down and 150 centimeters horizontally along the burrow's length, taking about 10 minutes to extract the body. The man was found face-down with both arms extended forward. Two newborn puppies were discovered dead near his hands. Initial autopsy found no signs of assault. The deceased was identified as Wanna Sae Li, 65, who lived alone, with his older brother residing in a nearby house.

Wanna's brother, Somsak Sae Li, 75, recounted that he came looking for him in the morning, finding only a motorcycle outside but no sign of his brother. After searching nearby work areas without success, he returned to the house and discovered what appeared to be a human foot protruding from the burrow, immediately alerting police and rescuers.

Wanna's granddaughter explained that he deeply loved dogs and would willingly go hungry to ensure they were fed. If any dog went missing, he would search for it every time. She last saw him around 5 p.m. and became concerned the following afternoon when he was nowhere to be found. While searching the house, she had previously seen what looked like a foot emerging from the burrow but initially thought it was a shoe dug up by the dogs and didn't give it much thought. Only upon closer inspection with a stick did she realize it was actually a human foot and immediately alerted authorities.

Somsak Klong Sri, 57, a member of the Nong Irun Tambon Administrative Organization, suggested that Wanna, being an avid dog lover, may have been concerned about mother dogs and their newborns in the burrow during the previous night's rain. Fearing floodwater would seep in, he may have crawled in to rescue the puppies, but the narrow, damp sandy burrow likely collapsed, trapping him inside.

Survey of the area revealed eight additional newborn puppies huddled under the house's stilts, with two female dogs lying nearby as guardians. The burrow, located near the drainage canal, was sandy and seeping with moisture. Multiple dog-dug holes were visible in the surrounding area.

Police documented the scene and arranged for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.