Man’s best friend received a helping hand from Santa Barbara County firefighters on Thursday after getting stuck under a deck in Orcutt.

At approximately 9:45 a.m., firefighters from Station 26 in Orcutt responded to the 3500 block of Hadley Way, Capt. Scott Safechuck said.

They found Sage, a yellow lab, trapped under a deck during heavy rains, with water rising, he added.

Sage apparently had crawled through a small opening in the wooden deck, landing herself in a predicament.

Firefighters removed a couple of deck planks to free the canine from the rising water.

 After the escape, Sage showed her appreciation to her rescuers and lapped up some extra attention before her new friends left. 

In recent weeks, county firefighters have undertaken at least two other public assist calls involving much more unique rescues.

A crew from the Sisquoc station helped a young camel stuck on a hill return to flatland in Tepusquet Canyon.

When a bat became trapped in a grocery store in Goleta, firefighters captured the critter to carry it outside to freedom.