A puppy had to be freed by an officer after getting its paw stuck in the grating of an escalator at Los Angeles International Airport recently, police said Tuesday.
Officers responded to LAX Terminal 4 after receiving a report of a dog caught between the conveying steps of the escalator and the landing grate, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Airport Police.
Responding officers shut down the escalator and worked to free the trapped dog, but the puppy remained stuck, LAX Police Officer Rob Pedregon said.
The dog was wearing a jogging suit, which also became stuck in the grate, he added.
Bicycle Officer Oscar Gatewood, who was on routine patrol at the time, received a radio call regarding the rescue and responded to the terminal, according to the statement.
When he got to the escalator, he observed the puppy wailing and the dog’s hysterical owner “hopelessly in tears and desperate for assistance,” the statement read.
Gatewood happened to have a multi-tool on him and was able to unscrew the grating to free the traumatized dog. The puppy lost a few nails as a result of the incident, but was doing OK, Pedregon said.
“Officer Gatewood’s quick thinking and fast action could very well have saved the dog from a nasty fate and the possible loss of his paw,” said the statement.
Although the incident took place on Jan. 16, police released the information and video on Tuesday as the department honored Gatewood for outstanding accomplishments and contributions, and named his deed its worth observation of the week.
KTLA’s Jennifer Thang contributed to this story.