A dog that became trapped on a window ledge in Brooklyn was rescued by a firefighter who won the pup's trust with treats and brought him down in a bucket truck.
Witnesses said the dog appeared to have climbed out of the second-story open window, which had a window guard required by law in New York City apartments where children live. Once on the 6-inch ledge, the dog didn't seem able to get back in, past the window guard.
"He must have wiggled through and couldn't figure out how to get back in," said James Morgan, a witness who lives in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood and caught the Thursday evening rescue on video.
A crowd began to gather on the busy Court Street sidewalk below, and an FDNY truck arrived. The firefighter cleared the sidewalk and backed up the truck to the building.
The dog continued to stand on the narrow ledge, losing its footing several times as nervous onlookers watched from below.
"It was pretty nerve-wracking," Morgan said.
The firefighter slowly approached the dog in the bucket, retreating to ground level at times to accept a leash, a bowl of water and some treats.
He offered the treats to the dog, and eventually was able to pet the animal and clip on the leash.
At last, the firefighter picked up the dog, as the crowd cheered and children cried "yay!"
Morgan said the firefighter immediately went into the building with the dog, and it wasn't clear whether the owner was in the area at the time.
Photo Credit: James Morgan