This is the heartwarming moment when a news crew rescues a terrified dog from a tornado-ravaged Texas town.
ABC News sound engineer Jim Gower spotted the pooch trapped under the house in Laguna Heights and quickly called animal rescue to help.
But before they got there, he took matters into his own hands, grabbed a nearby shovel and dug a hole for the helpless animal to escape.
The dog didn’t seem sure if he should leave his den, but the crew coaxed him out using a Slim Jim meat stick before animal control arrived.
It came as ABC covered the horror EF-1 tornado that ravaged the small town over the weekend, lashing it with 108 mph winds that killed at least one.
An ABC News crew covering the recent Texas tornado that saw speeds of up to 105 miles per hour helped rescue a helpless dog trapped under a house Sunday
Gower and another member of the crew were the first to hear the dog in distress and quickly sprang into action to aid in the rescue.
Gower was setting up equipment at the time of the incident, less than 24 hours after the tornado broke through.
Instead of waiting for animal control, the ABC crew decided to try and dig the animal out with a shovel Gower found nearby.
Within minutes, Gower had dug a hole large enough for the dog to see out from under the house.
However, the frightened pup was hesitant to leave the hole and the crew used a Slim Jim and gentle petting to slowly bring the pup out completely.
The combination of the beef jerky and the care got the dog out of harm’s way.
ABC has since congratulated the crew, while the public has thanked members of the team for helping an animal in need.
“Thank you for saving this 4-legged angel,” one YouTube commenter wrote.
“Thank you to the beautiful people who saved him; added another. “True meaning of none left behind.”
Sound engineer Jim Gower and another member of the crew were the first to hear the dog in distress and quickly sprang into action to aid in the rescue
However, the frightened pup was hesitant to leave the hole and the crew used a Slim Jim and gentle petting to slowly bring the pup out completely.
The combination of the beef jerky and the care got the dog out of harm’s way
A damage assessment made Sunday found the tornado touched down in Laguna Heights just after 4 a.m. Saturday.
The EF-1 classification indicates the tornado had wind speeds in the range of 86 miles per hour to 105 miles per hour, aaccording to the National Weather Service.
At least a dozen people were injured and homes and businesses toppled in the natural disaster.
The only fatality has since been confirmed by his family as Robert Flores, a father who died when a trailer that was lifted off the ground landed on his house.
“He was a beloved 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 compounded by the fact that the twister struck when most residents were asleep and oblivious.
“We are seeing utter devastation for a community that had not received any warning,” Treviño told local outlets.
A tornado is believed to have touched down at 4 a.m. in a small Texas town close to the southern border
At least two people were killed and dozens injured
The department has closed Highway 100, which provides access to Laguna Heights, due to the damage
The city is located 180 miles south of Corpus Christi
Highway 100, which provides access to Laguna Heights, was closed due to damage over the weekend.
Officials have said they are looking for more victims in the area.
That’s what the Salvation Army says in one rack that they have sent a team from Corpus Christi – about 180 miles south of the city – to help with the situation.
Photos and videos posted to social media showed a massive response from emergency services at the scene. The roofs of houses and buildings could be seen over the front yards and streets.
“It looks like a war zone. My brother’s window blew in and hit him in the face, he is quite shocked and his dog was so shocked too. I can’t believe this happened. He’s lost everything, his house, his belongings, but thank God he’s still alive,” said one resident, Catherine Valdez. Valley Central.
“Tell them to be very careful. It was 5:00 AM when I picked up my brother. There are debris and power lines everywhere. I drove through a power line almost halfway through,” she added.
The twisters were among more than four dozen reported over the weekend.
Other states, including Oklahoma and Nebraska, were ravaged by twisters.