The animal, named "Champ," was found embedded in thick mud about 7:30 a.m. by owner Robin Harpster.
Family members and volunteers — with the help of a mechanical backhoe and makeshift straps—labored for nearly six hours to lift Champ from the muck.
At one point, a woman who had joined in the effort found herself mired in the mud. She was pulled out without incident.
It was shortly before 1:30 p.m. that the team of caring helpers finally extricated Champ from the creek bed.
Aerial views of the aftermath showed the animal walking under its own power and then being examined by a veterinarian.
Dawson is about 50 miles south of Dallas.