It’s the heartwarming moment a news crew rescues a terrified dog from a tornado-ravaged Texas town.
ABC News sound technician Jim Gower spotted the dog trapped under the house in Laguna Heights and quickly called animal rescue to help.
But before they got there, he took matters into his own hands, grabbing a nearby shovel and digging a hole for the helpless animal to escape.
The dog seemed unsure if he should leave his hole, but the crew persuaded him to use a Slim Jim meat stick before animal control arrived.
It came as ABC covered the horror EF-1 tornado that hit the small town over the weekend, whipping it with 105mph winds that killed at least one.
An ABC News crew covering the recent Texas tornado that saw speeds of up to 105 miles per hour helped rescue a helpless dog trapped under a house on Sunday
Gower and another crew member were the first to hear of the dog in need and quickly sprang into action to help with the rescue.
Gower had installed the equipment at the time of the incident less than 24 hours after the tornado struck.
Rather than wait for animal control, the ABC team decided to try to dig up the animal with a shovel Gower had found nearby.
Within minutes, Gower had dug a hole big enough for the dog to see from under the house.
However, the frightened pup hesitated to come out of the hole and the crew used a Slim Jim and gentle petting to slowly coax the pup out completely.
The combination of beef jerky and grooming got the dog out of harm’s way.
ABC has since congratulated the crew while the public thanked the crew members for helping an animal in need.
“Thank you for saving this 4-legged angel,” wrote one YouTube commenter.
‘Thank you to the beautiful humans who saved him,; another added. ‘The true meaning of no one is left behind.’
Sound technician Jim Gower and another crew member were the first to hear the dog in need and quickly sprang into action to help with the rescue.
The frightened pup hesitated to come out of the hole, however, and the crew used a Slim Jim and gentle petting to slowly coax the pup out completely.
The combination of beef jerky and grooming got the dog out of harm’s way
A damage assessment conducted on Sunday found the tornado touched down in Laguna Heights just after 4 a.m. Saturday.
The EF-1 categorization indicates the tornado had wind speeds in the range of 86 miles per hour to 105 miles per hour, aaccording to the National Weather Service.
At least a dozen people were injured and homes and businesses were toppled in the natural disaster.
The only death has since been confirmed by his family to be Robert Flores, a father who died when a mobile home lifted off the ground landed on his house.
“He was a beloved brother, a recent father to son Christopher Flores. He will be missed by many family and friends,’ Violeta Flores-Tovar, his sister, said.
Cameron County officials said the damage was exacerbated by the fact the tornado struck when most residents were asleep and unaware.
“We are witnessing utter devastation for a community that had no warning,” Treviño told local media.
A tornado is believed to have touched down at 4 a.m. in a small Texas town near the southern border
At least two people were killed and ‘dozens more’ were injured
The department closed Highway 100 which provides access to Laguna Heights due to damage
The city is located 180 miles south of Corpus Christi
Highway 100 which provides access to Laguna Heights was closed due to weekend damage.
Officials said they were looking for other victims in the area.
The Salvation Army said in a statement that they sent a team from Corpus Christi – about 180 miles south of the city – to help with the situation.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed a massive response from emergency services to the scene. The roofs of houses and buildings could be seen scattered over the front yards and streets.
“It looks like a war zone. My brother’s window blew out and hit him in the face, he’s quite shaken up and his dog was so shaken up too. I can’t believe this happened. He lost everything, his house, his belongings, but thank God he is alive,” said resident Catherine Valdez. Central Valley.
‘Tell them to be very careful. It was 5 a.m. when I picked up my brother. Debris and downed power lines everywhere. I almost crossed a power line halfway,” she added.
The tornadoes were among more than four dozen reported over the weekend.
Other states, including Oklahoma and Nebraska, were ravaged by tornadoes.