This is the heartwarming moment a news crew saves a terrified dog from a tornado-ravaged Texas town.
ABC News sound technician Jim Gower spotted the pooch trapped under the home in Laguna Heights and quickly called for animal rescue to help.
But before they got there he took matters into his own hands, grabbing a nearby shovel and digging a hole for the helpless animal to escape.
The dog appeared unsure whether to leave his hole, but the crew coaxed him out using a Slim Jim meat stick before animal control arrived.
It came as ABC was covering the horror EF-1 tornado that battered the small town over the weekend, lashing it with 105mph winds that killed at least one.
An ABC News crew covering the recent Texas tornado that saw speeds up to 105 miles per hour helped to save a helpless dog trapped underneath a home Sunday
Gower and one other member of the crew were the first to hear the dog in need and quickly sprang into action to assist with the save.
Gower had been setting up equipment at the time of the incident less than 24 hours after the tornado had swept through.
Rather than waiting for animal control, the ABC crew decided to attempt to dig out the animal with a shovel Gower had found nearby.
Within minutes, Gower had dug a hole large enough for the dog to see out from underneath the house.
The scared pup hesitated to exit the hole, however, and the crew used a Slim Jim and gentle petting to slowly bring the pup out fully.
The combination of the beef jerky and the care coaxed the dog out of harm’s way.
ABC has since congratulated the crew while the public has thanked the members of the team for helping out an animal in need.
‘Thank you for rescuing this 4 legged angel,’ one YouTube commenter wrote.
‘Thank you to the beautiful humans who saved him,; another added. ‘True meaning of no one left behind.’
Sound technician Jim Gower and one other member of the crew were the first to hear the dog in need and quickly sprang into action to assist with the save
The scared pup hesitated to exit the hole, however, and the crew used a Slim Jim and gentle petting to slowly bring the pup out fully
The combination of the beef jerky and the care coaxed the dog out of harm’s way
A damage assessment taken Sunday found that the tornado touched down in Laguna Heights just after 4am Saturday.
The EF-1 categorization indicates the tornado had wind speeds in the range of 86 miles per hour to 105 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
At least a dozen people were injured and homes and businesses were toppled during the natural disaster.
The one fatality has since been confirmed by his family as Robert Flores, a father who died when a trailer home lifted off the ground landed on his house.
‘He was a loved brother, a recent father to his son Christopher Flores. He will be missed by many family, and friends,’ Violeta Flores-Tovar, his sister, said.
Cameron County officials said the damage was exacerbated by the fact that the twister hit when most residents were sleeping and unaware.
‘We’re seeing some utter devastation for a community that had no warning whatsoever,’ Treviño told local outlets.
A tornado is believed to have touched down at 4am in a small Texas town close to the southern border
At least two people have been killed and ‘dozens more’ have been injured
The department has shut down Highway 100 which provides access to Laguna Heights due to the damage
The town is located 180 miles south of Corpus Christi
Highway 100 which provides access to Laguna Heights was shut down due to the damage over the weekend.
Officials have said that they are searching for more victims in the vicinity.
The Salvation Army said in a statement that they have sent a team from Corpus Christi – roughly 180 miles south of the town – to aid with the situation.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed a massive emergency services response to the scene. The roofs of homes and buildings could be seen strewn across front yards and streets.
‘It looks like a war zone. My brother’s window blew in and hit him in the face, he is pretty shook up and his dog was so shaken as well. I cannot believe this happened. He has lost everything, his home, his belongings, but thank God he is alive,’ a resident, Catherine Valdez, told Valley Central.
‘Tell them to be very careful. It was 5:00 am when I picked up my brother. Debris and power lines down everywhere. I almost drove through a half way down power line,’ she added.
The twisters were among more than four dozen reported over the weekend.
Other states including Oklahoma and Nebraska were ravaged by twisters.
