“We had been out looking for about a week when we heard from a farmer here who noticed a reddish dog on his property”, animal volunteer Amy Carey told The Dodo.

Shelter volunteers traced its path and found Tillie with her head resting on the side of the well, and below her the basset hound, perched on rubble that held her above the water, Vashon Island Pet Protectors said.

Tillie, a setter, and her friend, Phoebe, a basset hound, were reported missing by their owners on September 9.

A Washington state animal shelter says a dog dutifully stood guard for a almost a week on Vashon Island to protect another dog that had fallen in a cistern.

Tillie left each day for short periods to go find help.

Carey went out to the area and found Phoebe stuck down in a cistern and, incredibly, Tillie was standing guard right over her, waiting for help to arrive.

“It was very clear what Tillie had done”, Carey said.

“I was thrilled”, he said. “She’s a very caring, loving and nurturing dog and the two of them are best friends”.

And you all will be happy to know that, other than hunger, both dogs were fine health-wise after the incident, and they were treated to a hamburger dinner when they were rescued. Had she run up, we might have never realised that Phoebe was down there.

Joe Curiel said Tillie kept coming to him. And Duft told ABC that a dog collar with Global Positioning System tracking was ordered and on its way.