For firefighters, rescuing animals is part of the job. But we might be more accustomed to reading stories about dogs in lakes or cats up trees – not inside couches.
However, firefighters in Colorado had to rescue a puppy in just that predicament.
Saving the Pit Bull Puppy
On Jan. 23, firefighters responded to a call as a nine-week-old blue nose Pit Bull puppy, Nina, found herself inside a reclining couch. Four firefighters from South Adams County Fire Department Engine 26 attended the incident, which was called in as a “citizen’s alarm”, per WEWS-TV. These are non-emergency calls.
“All four of us are big dog lovers. A lot of us have more than one,” said Paulie Johnston, one of the heroic quartet. “We got to the house and the family was a little upset, and rightfully so.
“So we got there and [my fellow firefighters] grabbed their tools and Matt [Wood, fellow firefighter] and I got behind the couch. I just comforted the little puppy, told her she was a good girl, gave her some scratches and [Matt] pretty much took apart the couch.”
It looked as though Nina had climbed underneath from behind, getting herself stuck inside. Worryingly, one of the bars inside the couch was choking her, so she was finding it more difficult to breathe.
As a result, they had to take the couch apart – but fortunately, Wood was able to put it back for the grateful family.
“The family was very thankful,” Johnston said. “They just wanted to make sure the puppy was okay. And we said, ‘The puppy is good to go. Just give her lots of love.”
Puppy-Proofing Your Home
Of course, our furry friends will sometimes get themselves into sticky situations like this one – particularly when they’re so small. But there are ways to puppy-proof your home to reduce the chance of your pooch finding themselves in trouble.
Tie up drapery cords and make sure any electrical cords are out of reach. Put potentially dangerous or toxic items out of reach, as well as houseplants and foods that can be harmful to dogs. And don’t rule out the use of safety gates and latches if you think you need to.
