FIREFIGHTERS have rescued a Golden Retriever from a pile of rubble after they heard the dog barking, nine days after a powerful earthquake struck central Italy.

The dog, called Romeo, appeared to be bewildered at first as it scampered down the mound of broken concrete and other debris, but quickly took a few steps, wagged its tail and sniffed its surroundings.

Firefighters told The Associated Press that rescuers heard the dog bark as they were accompanying the pet’s owners to retrieve essential belongings from their quake-damaged home.

The owners had not lost hope that the pup was alive and called out “Romeo! Romeo!” while on site, Latina Quotidiano reported.

Amazingly, they were met with barking, according to the paper.

The newspaper called the dog’s rescue a sign of hope for those who lost everything in the earthquake.

The August 24 earthquake has claimed nearly 300 lives, injured hundreds and left thousands of people either without homes or with homes unsafe to immediately inhabit.