Police rescue a desperate dog that was left hanging from a second-story balcony after his owner tied him up and he jumped over the railing
- Bodycam footage shows the dramatic rescue at a home in Cleveland on Saturday
- A woman called 911 after seeing the pit bull mix named Cain dangling by his leash and choking as he clawed for his life
- Responding officers managed to get the dog to safety uninjured
- Cain and another dog living at the home were taken to a city kennel
- The owners could face animal cruelty charges pending an investigation
- They have reportedly surrendered the pets, who will soon be put up for adoption
Body camera footage shows the dramatic moment police rescued a dog that was hanging off the second-story balcony of a house in Cleveland.
The pit bull mix named Cain had been tied up on the outside balcony by his owners before he leapt over the railing and found himself dangling by his leash on Saturday.
A woman who lives on the first floor of the home called 911, frantically telling a dispatcher: ‘The dog at the top of my house on the second floor, he is dying; he is choking. The dog is dying.’
Officer Michael Phelps said he and his partner arrived at the scene and found the pet ‘hanging by his neck and clawing for his life’.
Dramatic video shows Cleveland police officers rescuing a dog that was left hanging from a second-story balcony by his leash after his owner tied him up and he jumped over the railing
A woman living on the first floor of the home in Cleveland called 911 when she noticed the pit bull mix named Cain dangling off the roof and clawing for his life
Bodycam video shows Officer Michael Phelps on the porch of the home and lifting Cain’s rear to allow him to breathe before other officers arrived and helped get the pet to safety
Phelps can be seen in the bodycam footage jumping on the porch and standing on his toes to lift Cain’s rear and stop his collar from choking him.
‘I wanted to give him a chance to breathe,’ the officer said in a video released by the Cleveland Police Department.
‘My main concern was making sure the dog would be okay. I am a huge dog lover.’
Additional officers soon arrived on the scene and helped get the dog to safety after about five minutes.
The pet, which was miraculously uninjured, and another dog living at the home were taken to a city kennel.
Cain (pictured) and another dog living at the home were both taken to a city kennel
Officer Phelps recounted the rescue effort in a video from the Cleveland Police Department
The Cleveland Animal Protective League has opened an investigation into the incident and the owner’s could face animal cruelty charges.
‘What we have is some clear violations of Cleveland’s tethering ordinances,’ Sharon Harvey, President and CEO of the Cleveland APL, told WKYC.
‘Whether it’s in a yard, or on a patio, the tether needs to be a certain length, the dog cannot be tied up when people aren’t home, there are limits to the amount of time that they can be tied out, and they have to be a certain distance away from structures.’
The owners, who have not been identified, are reportedly planning to surrender the pets. They will soon be up for adoption.
Phelps expressed interest in giving Cain, renamed Candy Cane by the kennel, a new home.
‘I would so long to adopt him,’ he said, adding: ‘I mean, I can always add another member to my family.’
Officials say Cain miraculously escaped the ordeal uninjured and appears to be in good health
He is seen above with an employee at the shelter where he was remained ‘Candy Cane’