Dogs are devoted, affectionate companions, but their natural curiosity can sometimes carry them into situations where they need quick assistance. That same playful spirit that makes everyday life joyful can occasionally lead them into tricky predicaments they cannot escape on their own.
That was exactly the case for Faye, a two year old dog from Garden Grove, California. Her curiosity led her somewhere unexpected when she squeezed through a plumbing access door inside her home and ended up stuck inside the wall, unable to find her way back.
Her owners searched for every possible way to reach her, trying one idea after another without success. Eventually, they remembered that firefighters often help animals as well as people, not just cats stranded in trees, and realized that professional help might be the answer. They dialed 911, and the rescue effort began.
Firefighters Respond Quickly
The Orange County Fire Authority received the emergency call and sent a team to the home right away, knowing that the distressed pup needed help as soon as possible.
A video posted on the Orange County Fire Authority Facebook profile shows two firefighters working near the section of wall where Faye was stuck. One firefighter held a sledgehammer while preparing to break through the wall carefully and safely.
He started by lightly tapping the wall and widening the opening bit by bit. Before long, Faye’s head appeared through the hole, creating an emotional moment for her family and the rescuers.
“This pup was pretty happy to see the firefighters’ friendly faces and reunite with loved ones,” it is stated in the post.
The joy was immediate. The firefighters and Faye’s family shared hugs, relief, and gratitude as soon as she was free. The family even joked afterward that Faye might soon find another way to get herself into trouble.
“According to the family, Faye is probably already planning her next bit of mischief. Who knows…maybe we’ll see her again soon! 🐶” they wrote at the end of the post.
Rescue Story Spreads Across The Country
The uplifting rescue quickly gained national attention. Videos shared by the firefighters were soon picked up by news outlets, including KCAL-TV, helping Faye’s story reach viewers across the United States.
In an interview with the station, Julian Nguyen, one of Faye’s owners, described his unsuccessful effort to free her.
“I was getting my hand, kneeling down, and trying to reach my arm all the way through to pull her back. But she was way too far inside already,” he said.
Firefighter Hector Jimenez added that the team relied on a thermal imaging camera, noting that finding Faye without it would have been extremely difficult.
In the end, Dat Nguyen, Faye’s other owner, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the firefighters and said the agency went “beyond [their] duties.”