ISTANBUL — The delicate life of a 3-month-old puppy stuck down a well brought all of Turkey together, praying and working tirelessly for his rescue.

As reported by the Daily Sabah news outlet in Istanbul, the pit was reportedly drilled 11 days ago by local government in the Beykoz district of the city. Somehow, the puppy slipped his way through the tiny well, which measured less than a foot in width, and tumbled nearly 230 feet down.

Locals heard the puppy’s cries, and sent for a rescue team to get him out. They threw sausages in to keep him fed, and managed to lower a night vision camera down to keep an eye on him. They also dropped chew toys down carrying the scent of the young dog’s mother.

Watching over him from a screen above ground, day and night, municipal workers and animal activists tried different methods of bringing the pup back up. Students at a local high school even employed a robotic arm they’d designed in a relentless display of determination to free the small pooch. After 11 days of failed attempts, a state-owned mining company stepped in and dropped down a long, long lasso. They managed to slide it around the dog’s neck, and slowly, carefully pull him all the way back up to surface level.

Miraculously, the dog was okay, and didn’t lose any weight during his time underground. After being checked out by veterinarians, the local fire department decided to adopt him. His rescuers have since named him “Kuyu,” which in Turkish means “well.”