The rescue dig continued at 8am on Thursday after news the dog was still trapped. 

SES, NSW Ambulance, Wildlife Rescue South Coast and Shoalhaven Water used a $30,000 optic fibre camera in an attempt to find the pooch’s exact location before digging him out.

The RSPCA has secured carers to temporarily take Mr Griffith’s two other dogs and possibly Brooklyn, if he survives the rescue.

The American bulldog slipped its chain around 1am on Wednesday morning before chasing after a wombat. 

Brooklyn, aged three and a half, then ran down the wombat hole alongside the popular Nowra Showground nature walk and is believed to be injured. 

Owner Charlie Griffith, who has been living in a tent at the showground, said he knew the 42kg dog was down the hole thanks to the accuracy of his other dog's tracking skills. 

"Trigger is a hunting dog and when I asked him to find Brooklyn he took me straight to him," he said. 

"I can hear him whimpering and crying, so he's obviously been injured by the wombat."

He said it was the third time in nine days the dog had followed a wombat down a hole in the area and been injured.

"He has been treated at local vets twice already for infections relating to the attacks," he said.

NSW Ambulance Rescue from Bomaderry were called out around 2am to help.

They stayed until about 3.30am, but had no luck in freeing Brooklyn. 

Since about 1.30pm, eight workers from Wildlife Rescue NSW South Coast, Nowra Fire Brigade and NSW Ambulance Rescue worked with shovels, crowbars, cameras, solar torches and a jack hammer to free the dog. 

The dog’s bark could be easily heard and sounds strong.

Emergency crews worked for over four hours to release the dog from the wombat hole, however following a risk assessment, failing light and difficult conditions were forced to call off the rescue close to 6pm.

The hope was Brooklyn would find his own way out overnight.

The area was taped off by police and anyone walking near the area has been advised not to approach the hole which is more than three metres deep.

The rescue dig will continue on Thursday morning after news the dog is still trapped inside.