Baltimore County Officer Rescues Dog Stranded on Dundalk Rooftop

DUNDALK, Md. — A Baltimore County police officer recently undertook a daring rescue to save a schnauzer named Silver, who found herself stranded on the roof of a two-story townhome on Pine Street.

Silver, owned by Stella Franco, had managed to escape through an open window from the upper level of the home. Franco, who typically keeps her dogs away from the top room, speculated that Silver was chasing after a squirrel or bird when she crawled out.

"Silver is a chaser, so she goes after squirrels, also after birds. She's a very free spirit, so she probably saw an animal, tried to catch her, and she got herself stuck on the roof," Franco explained.

After a neighbor alerted authorities, Officer Alex Flores of the Baltimore County Police Department responded to the scene. Initially, he tried to reach Silver from inside the house, gaining access to the attic to get closer to her.

"One of the residents was kind enough to let me into her home, let me into her attic, where I was able to be eye level with the dog. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go onto the roof, but every time the dog would get close to the window I was at, she would just run away," Flores said.

Realizing that he needed to take a more direct approach, Officer Flores climbed onto the roof. Once there, he was able to coax Silver close enough to safely retrieve her. The local fire department assisted in bringing both the officer and the dog back down safely.

"The minute I got on the roof and she saw me, she just ran right to me," Flores noted.

Franco expressed immense gratitude for the officer's efforts, stating, "The police officer, for me, I would hug her because she had saved my dog. My dog could have been injured or worse. I'm very blessed that she went above and beyond her service."

On the following day, Silver was taken into the care of Baltimore County Animal Services, which conducted a welfare check at Franco's home. A spokesperson indicated that a veterinary examination and checks on the other pets were part of an ongoing investigation. Silver will remain in custody until those assessments are completed.

For Officer Flores, the rescue was simply part of his job. "I did my job, that's what I'm there to do. As a police officer, I wear a lot of hats. I guess animal services happens sometimes to be one of them," he said with a laugh.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR 2 News Baltimore (source).