It took just 30 minutes from the posting of a message on Facebook about the plight of a poor cattlebeast stuck in a mud hole in Wanganui.
A streetful of friends and strangers - armed with spades and assorted equipment - swarmed into Cumbrae Place ready to dig the two-tonne steer out.
Princess Jury's hefty pet steer, named B.Day because he was born on her birthday, had been stuck waist-deep at the edge of a muddy creek on her land since Christmas Eve - a dilemma which made the front page of yesterday's Chronicle.
Mrs Jury had kept B.Day supplied with food and water, and Wanganui animal control staff, the fire service and neighbours had tried to get him out.
After spending much of Christmas Day trying to rescue the stranded steer without success, things were looking bleak for Mrs Jury and her pet.
Then some girls whom Mrs Jury mentors put a message on Facebook on Thursday evening, giving Mrs Jury's name, phone number and address. She was away for half-an-hour and couldn't believe what she found on her return.
"The phone was going ballistic."
There were people queuing door and cars and trucks parked all down her street. She didn't know whether to go to the door or pick up the telephone first. Everyone went down to the creek and started trying to dig B.Day out.
"One guy was up to his waist in mud; some people were digging with their hands," Mrs Jury said.
Then a man with a truck appeared and teamed up with a neighbour who had a winch. They managed to drag the cattlebeast out in three stages, with people watching and cheering all the way. When he finally came free, people were cheering, clapping, crying and hugging each other.
"It was just brilliant - I wish somebody had been there with a TV camera," Mrs Jury said.
B.Day had his legs massaged, and was told to stay on his feet for at least an hour. He ran around excitedly in a circle first, then calmed down.
Mrs Jury was amazed to see that men who had come to help also repaired a fence taken down in the rescue. She wanted to thank all the people who came, many of whom she didn't know. She's been living at the end of Cumbrae Place in Aramoho for 11 years, and owns three hectares of nearby paddocks. She has a steer, four cows, two horses and a pig. She said local people liked to come and feed them, and Pak 'n Save donated a box of fruit or vegetables everyday.