A frightened dog named Cody was reunited with his family after Bay Shore firefighters used heavy-duty hydraulic rescue equipment to lift a backyard shed and free him in just 20 minutes.
BAY SHORE, NY — A Long Island dog named Cody is back home with his family after firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free him from beneath a backyard shed during a rescue operation in Suffolk County.
Members of the Bay Shore Fire Department responded Wednesday afternoon, October 7, to a residence on Gardiner Drive after receiving a report that the family’s dog had become trapped underneath a shed.
What initially appeared to be a simple rescue became more complicated when Cody, frightened by the activity around him, moved farther underneath the structure as firefighters tried to reach him.
Rather than risk injuring the animal, crews brought in heavy-duty rescue equipment normally used to free people trapped in damaged vehicles.
Within approximately 20 minutes, Cody was safely reunited with his relieved owners.
Frightened dog crawls deeper beneath shed
Bay Shore Fire Chief John Ippolito Jr., First Assistant Chief Nick Danza and members of the department’s Emergency Service Squad responded alongside Suffolk County police officers.
After assessing the situation, firefighters initially attempted to dig a trench beneath the shed to create an opening for Cody to escape.
The plan did not work.
As rescuers began digging, the frightened dog moved deeper underneath the structure, making it more difficult for firefighters to reach him.
Ippolito requested additional equipment, including inflatable lifting bags, hydraulic rescue tools and wooden cribbing materials used to stabilize heavy objects.
Jaws of Life used to lift backyard structure
Firefighters from Rescue 11 deployed Hurst hydraulic rescue equipment, commonly known as the Jaws of Life.
The powerful tools are generally associated with serious motor vehicle crashes, where firefighters use them to cut through metal or move damaged vehicle components.
In Cody’s case, firefighters used the equipment to carefully raise the shed while stabilizing the structure with wooden cribbing.
The operation created enough room for rescuers to reach the trapped dog without causing the structure to collapse.
After about 20 minutes of work, Cody was successfully freed.
Cody reunited with grateful family
The rescue ended without further incident, and Cody was returned to his thankful owners.
Fire officials did not report any injuries to the animal or emergency personnel.
The unusual rescue was one of nine emergency calls handled by the Bay Shore Fire Department that Wednesday.
The department’s quick response and use of specialized equipment turned what could have become a dangerous situation into a happy reunion.