A scared and exhausted dog was rescued by police officers during a wildfire in Greece. Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in the country with a population of over one million, has been threatened by a fast-moving fire since July 5 that has caused at least three suburbs nearby to evacuate. Thankfully, one canine who was hiding beneath a burnt tree was saved by a pair of responders.
Police officers rescue frightened canine amid Thessaloniki wildfire
In a video posted on July 5 by the Thessaloniki Police Employees Union on its official Facebook page, a dog with dark brown and light chestnut fur is seen covered in the soot of a wildfire and trying to rest in the burned soil beneath a tree. Smoke from the fire continues to drift in the background.
An officer with a gas mask over his face is able to grab a hold of the dog’s chain-link leash, suggesting that the canine could have been attached to a post when the wildfire occurred.
Alongside another officer with sunglasses and a blue cloth mask over his mouth, he bends down close to the dog, who doesn’t make a sound or any sudden movement. Together, they lift the pooch into their arms and carry the animal to safety past a charred four-door car and over to a fire truck nearby.
The Facebook post writes, “Thessaloniki Police Employees’ Union congratulates all our colleagues who since yesterday have been on the front lines and under extremely difficult circumstances contribute to evacuating areas and guiding our fellow citizens to safe places, as happened a few days ago in the area of Liti … We are posting the following video so that even the most skeptical people can understand that under the uniform there are HUMANS.”
More than several commenters were shocked at the dog’s condition and blamed its owner for what happened. One wrote, as translated by Facebook, “What kind of person is he who lets his animal burn?,” while another praises the rescue, “Well done, guys! Poor thing, what did he go through…”
According to The Associated Press, a 76-year-old man who “appeared not to be sober” was arrested on suspicion of starting the fire.
