During the hottest days of summer, a roof is no place for anyone to be. Even if said roof is inspected once a year as recommended, these shingled surfaces can reach burning-hot temperatures as the sun beats down.
But on occasion, some of our four-legged friends find themselves up on a rooftop with no way to get down — and it’s up to our policemen and firefighters to help them find their way down.
This is exactly what happened at an abandoned home in North Miami, FL, where a passerby spotted a puppy stranded atop its roof on July 4. The passerby contacted Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and firefighters arrived at the home soon afterward.
“To my disbelief, there was a puppy on the roof of a one-story house,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Scott Mullin, one of the officials who responded to the initial call. “There was no one at home at the time. It looked like a vacant home.”
The two- to three-month-old puppy, who has since been named Indy, was initially reluctant to approach the firefighters, Mullin explained.
“As soon as I pulled up, he ran across the roof to look at me. He was scared; he was afraid to come to the edge like he was gonna fall off,” he told WSVN. “It was hot, so it was probably burning the pads of his foot.”
Eventually, Mullin and the rest of the crew successfully brought Indy down from the roof. He explained that a person had to have placed the puppy on the roof, as there was no way he could have gotten there by climbing a tree.
Upon his rescue, the fire department brought Indy to Just Jacks Rescue, a local animal shelter. The puppy will stay at a foster home until he gets his needed vaccinations and microchipping, at which time he’ll be officially put up for adoption.
A similar event happened in Clark County, WA, where authorities spotted two dogs sitting on a home’s roof on June 28. According to KOIN, the dogs had evidently pushed through a window screen and wandered onto the roof while the home’s owners were away.
As temperatures neared 100 degrees, police unsuccessfully tried to guide the dogs back into the house. Eventually, a family friend arrived, who was able to coax the dogs inside.
With this summer already on track to be one of the hottest in recent memory, it’s essential for pet owners everywhere to keep their canine friends from wandering on top of the roof.
