05/08/2026
When Scott and Donna Brinckerhoff realized their “Velcro dog,” Panko, was missing May 4 from their Plains Road property in Haddam, they immediately knew something was wrong.
The 2-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle mix (Bernedoodle) always stayed close by and never wandered beyond the boundaries of the couple’s four-acre property.
“It was highly unusual for Panko not to be around us,” Scott says. “We began looking for him everywhere, inside and out, and calling his name. We even drove down Plains Road on the off chance he had chased some woodland critter and gotten lost. No luck.”
Donna then enlisted the help of the couple’s 8-year-old German Shepherd, Remy, whom she describes as Panko’s “best pal.”
“Remy knows the ‘find’ command very well, although it’s usually used for hidden treats,” she says.
Remy seemed to understand the assignment. Immediately, he put his nose to the ground and began searching.
Before long, he stopped beside a decades-old pile of construction debris and large rocks.
“And sure enough, there was Panko, trapped between a rock and a hard place, with only his nose protruding,” Scott recalls. “He was clearly in bad shape — exhausted and likely in shock. He was whimpering but didn’t seem to have any bark left in him.”
At 3:55 p.m., Scott called 911, and a dispatcher at Valley Shore Emergency Communications sent Haddam Volunteer Fire Company to help extricate a “K9 stuck in a rock wall behind house.”
“We got Panko some much-appreciated water and assured him help was on the way,” Scott says. “Four vehicles and six firefighters, including the chief, arrived and began assessing the situation. They were especially concerned that moving any rocks could put Panko in danger.”
After winning Panko’s trust with a few chunks of baked ham, firefighters used pry bars and plenty of muscle to dislodge the large rock. The extrication took about 15 minutes.
Panko “shot out like a Jack-in-the-Box,” Scott recalls, “and immediately introduced himself to his rescuers.”
Even the Brinckerhoffs’ orange cat, Mickey Finn, stopped by to observe the action.
Although Panko was trapped for possibly four hours, he made a full recovery.
“Donna and I will forever be grateful to our neighbor firefighters, who saved the day for us and our little buddy.”
For the firefighters who answered the call, the rescue was simply part of serving the community — although one with an especially rewarding outcome.
“Haddam Volunteer Fire Company members respond to all kinds of emergencies, but this one definitely had a happy ending,” Fire Chief Sam Baber said. “Our crews took great care to make sure Panko could be freed safely without causing further injury, and we’re grateful everything worked out so well. Credit also goes to Remy for leading the family right to him. It was truly a team effort, and we’re happy we could help reunite Panko with his family.”
