CLEVELAND — Dramatic bodycam video made available to WKYC shows the rescue of a dog by Cleveland Police over the weekend.
A dog was hanging from a balcony on the second floor of a house on East 147th on Saturday.
We see an officer run to the porch and stand on a railing to lift the dog up, relieving the pressure on its neck. He is struggling without a pair of scissors to cut the dog loose but hangs on until other officers help free the dog, who does appear to be okay.
You can see the bodycam video in the player below.
WARNING: Some of the images may be difficult to watch.
Sierra Ray, who lives on the first floor, called 911, since her neighbors weren't home.
"The dog at the top of my house on the porch, on the second floor," she told dispatchers, "He's dying because he's choking. The dog's dying."
She said it took about 25 minutes for officers to arrive, and another 5 minutes for them to bring the dog to the ground.
"It was an accident," said Ray. "They take good care of their dog," she said of her neighbors.
However, the dog's owners, who did not want to comment, could face charges of animal cruelty.
Investigators from the Cleveland Animal Protective League took the pit bull mix named, Cain, into custody, as well as another dog that was in the home. Both dogs will be held, until the owners' case plays out in court.
"What we have is some clear violations of Cleveland's tethering ordinances," said Sharon Harvey, President and CEO of the Cleveland APL.
"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," said Harvey.
She noted that it's not uncommon for the APL to get calls about dogs that have jumped from a balcony, even if it's from an upper floor.
Cain has been given the name, Candy Cane, at the shelter, since there was another dog with the same name at the facility, and workers wanted to avoid confusion. The pit bull mix appears to be friendly and in good health.
Harvey hopes the dramatic video serves as a vivid lesson for dog owners.
"This video is, I think, an excellent example of why our animal neglect laws exist, and an excellent example of why people need to think ahead," she said.