Winston the dog was certainly showered with affection – and presumably a lot of doggy shampoo – after he was stuck in mud for nearly three days.

The pet plummeted down a badger sett in the Diamond Jubilee Wood, in Leicestershire, on Saturday after he clearly bit off more than he could chew.

His untimely descent came as he was out enjoying a walk with his owner Helen Peake.

The hole had been almost entirely hidden by a holly bush.

Heather raised the alarm but Winston’s rescue proved difficult, as badger setts are heavily protected by law. She reached out to various authorities in vain until good news came this Tuesday when fire crews began work with the RSPCA to save the trapped spaniel.

Firefighters used specialist equipment to reach Winston and listened to his muffled barks to pinpoint exactly where to dig.

They also used specialist listening and locating devices to find him, and fire crews then called in reinforcements to help with the digging.

The rescue had to be carried out slowly to avoid the sett collapsing in on the trapped dog.

Weary Winston was handed to RSPCA officers for a health check and was reunited, most importantly, with his delighted owner.

He immediately rolled onto his back for a belly rub once he was returned to his number one human.

Posting on Facebook, Helen wrote: ‘It’s been the weekend/early week from hell but oh well he’s safe and sound back with us and that’s all we care about.’

The crews reported no other animals were found at the scene, suggesting the badger den is inactive.

Winston isn’t the only spaniel with a penance for adventure this year.

Reggie, just 11 months old, tumbled down a 22ft crevice on a mountain in Wales in January.

Rescue teams worked late into the night to save the dog with ropes and specialist equipment.

Owner Leah Davies described her brave pup as a ‘true little warrior’ following the ordeal.

Today, pets offer companionship, emotional support, reduced feelings of loneliness, and reduced stress levels. It also contributes to high self-esteem and positive emotions, especially for children. And although many people enjoy the company of their dog or cat and would never think of getting rid of their pet, consider it a family member. However, in many cases coexistence between humans and animals is not always successful and in some cases the relationship does not work out, when the family is committed, adoption is their last resort.

There are various reasons why animals are abandoned on the street, some of these reasons are lack of time to give them adequate attention, economic hardship, unwanted litters, parenting issues. children, new family members or they lose their home.