Chandler firefighters responded Wednesday with people and shovels and, with the help of a city backhoe, began unearthing the 6-foot-deep tunnel dug by Passmore's tortoise.
That allowed Passmore to squirm head-first into the hole and see that his Scottish Schnauzer "was willfully inside the hole" where it had cornered the cat.
With his ankles held by firefighters, Passmore was able to pull the dog out. It emerged dirty but unharmed.