A dog that was trapped about 20 feet down at the bottom of an orange grove was rescued Saturday in Lake County and reunited with his family.

Lake County firefighters and a special operations team were called in to assist in the rescue of the dog, a Shepherd mix, after the dog was missing for about 12 hours, officials said.

"It may seem simple, but when you are entering a confined space such as an old well, there are numerous dangers that you can encounter," said Lt. Brian Gamble, vice president of the Professional Firefighters of Lake County.

The firefighters monitored the air in the well before making entry with a ladder to retrieve the dog.

Lt. Kris Bush, a special operations officer on one of Lake County's three squads, went down to rescue the dog.

"He was very happy to be out of that deep hole," Gamble said. "We are not sure how long he was down there, but he has been reunited with his family and is now safe and sound."

The well has temporarily been covered by a pallet until the owners of the property can be contacted to fill in the well.