Firefighters are trained to respond when someone is trapped and every second matters, but one recent emergency in Maryland came with four paws and a wagging tail. Highway, a Terrier with an unfortunate sense of curiosity, found himself wedged deep inside a recliner at a home in Joppatowne.
What may have started as an innocent attempt to explore or find a cozy hiding place quickly became a frightening situation when the little dog could no longer escape on his own. Getting Highway out would ultimately require firefighters and a powerful piece of rescue equipment normally associated with much bigger emergencies.
According to the Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, Highway became so badly entangled inside the chair that his family needed professional help to get him out safely. Firefighters arrived at the home and discovered that freeing the trapped Terrier would require more than simply pulling apart the furniture by hand.
Fortunately, the crew had exactly the kind of equipment needed for a delicate extraction. The rescue tool they chose, however, probably isn’t something most people expect to see used on a piece of living room furniture.
Firefighters Bring Out the Jaws of Life
The firefighters turned to a HURST Jaws of Life rescue tool to carefully free Highway from the recliner. The powerful equipment is commonly used by emergency crews to cut, spread, or move materials when someone is trapped, but this time, the individual waiting to be rescued was a little dog.
Working carefully around Highway, the crew used the equipment to create enough room to release him without causing further harm. It was an unusual use for a tool firefighters typically rely on when people are trapped in vehicles or other difficult-to-access spaces.
Eventually, Highway was freed from the chair, but his ordeal wasn’t quite over. Harford County Department of Emergency Services Medic 81 transported him from the Joppa station to an emergency veterinary clinic for treatment.
The fire company did not provide additional information about Highway’s condition in its post. Getting him safely out of the recliner meant he could receive the professional veterinary care he needed after the unusual emergency.
Highway’s Rescue Gets Plenty of Attention
Highway’s predicament quickly touched animal lovers who saw the fire company’s Facebook post. Many praised the firefighters for recognizing how important the little Terrier was to his family and putting their rescue skills to work for an unusual patient.
One commenter summed up the sentiment by noting that pets are family for many people and thanking the firefighters for helping Highway. Others joined in with their appreciation for a crew willing to tackle a rescue call that looked very different from the emergencies they usually encounter.
The story also prompted pet parents to share surprisingly similar experiences with reclining furniture. One commenter recalled that their rescue dog crawled beneath a recliner during a storm, with the footrest elevated, but fortunately, the family was able to take the chair apart and free their frightened dog themselves.
Another commenter warned that recliners can pose serious risks to small dogs and cats that crawl underneath or inside them. Highway’s story may be unusual enough to make people smile after his rescue, but the potential danger behind his predicament is worth remembering.
Why Recliners Can Be Dangerous for Dogs and Cats
Highway’s unexpected emergency highlights a household danger pet parents may not immediately think about. Recliners contain moving hinges, metal mechanisms, springs, and narrow spaces that can be tempting hiding spots for small dogs and cats, particularly when they’re frightened or looking for somewhere dark and cozy.
The danger is that someone sitting in the chair may have no idea an animal has crawled underneath or inside it. Opening or closing the footrest can suddenly move parts of the mechanism around a hidden pet, potentially trapping or injuring them before anyone realizes they’re there.
Cats and small dogs that like hiding beneath furniture deserve extra attention around reclining chairs and sofas. Checking underneath and around a recliner before operating its mechanism, especially when a pet has suddenly disappeared from view, is a simple precaution that may help prevent an unexpected emergency.
A recliner that suddenly doesn’t move normally can also be a reason to check for a hidden pet before trying again. Continuing to operate or force the mechanism without knowing what’s blocking it could put an animal hiding inside at greater risk.
An Unusual Call With One Very Important Patient
For Highway, a curious trip inside the furniture turned into an emergency his family probably never imagined they’d face. Fortunately, firefighters were willing to tackle the unusual challenge and had the equipment necessary to carefully bring him back out.
The Jaws of Life may usually appear at very different kinds of emergencies, but Highway didn’t need to understand any of that. He simply needed someone capable of getting him out of a very bad hiding place, and the firefighters of Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company answered the call.
Highway’s adventure also leaves other pet parents with one useful reminder about those irresistible little spaces underneath furniture. Before putting up the footrest or leaning back for the evening, it might be worth making sure the family dog or cat hasn’t decided the recliner looks like the perfect place for an adventure.
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