A senior dog from Kentucky got herself into a bit of a sticky situation on December 16th, 2021 when she crawled into an open vent without an exit strategy. Prestonburg Dispatch received a call asking for help freeing 16-year-old Tinker Bell from the air vent.
The Prestonburg Fire Department posted about the rescue on their Facebook page, sharing photos of little Tinker Bell prior to her extraction. All you can see is the Chihuahua’s tiny head poking out.
Members of both the police department and the fire department worked for about 30 minutes to free the poor pup from the vent. This was lying down on your stomach kind of work, and rescue crews also had to be careful not to frighten or injure Tinker Bell in the process.
Eventually, Tinker Bell was removed from the vent unharmed. It’s probably a good thing her family left this precarious task up to the experts.
Local residents are grateful to have civil servants who also work hard for the town’s pets, even the older ones. Some took to the Facebook post’s comments section to thank the rescuers for their hard work:
“Our fire department has the biggest heart!” – Suzanne Kinzer via Facebook
“Thanks Prestonsburg Fire Department for caring about senior dogs too. You all are the best!!” – Sha Reynolds via Facebook
Whether it’s a human being in danger or a sweet senior pup, these departments are there to serve. Christmas came a little early for this dog and her grateful family!
Dog-Proof Your Home
If you do a quick Google search for “dog stuck in vent,” you’ll learn that this situation is a pretty common one. Accidents occur, but there are a lot of things you can do to dog-proof your home and prevent this from happening to your pup.
Make sure all your heating and air vents have secure covers. Dogs (and cats) have also been known to chew through damaged drywall and get stuck between the walls. Many homes have gaps or holes in the walls behind large appliances like the refrigerator or the washing machine, so make sure these appliances are pressed firmly against the wall.
For other tips on how to dog-proof your home, check out American Humane’s fact sheet. If you do experience a situation like Tinker Bell’s, know that you can reach out to local emergency services for help.
