Cooper, a hound dog with a nose for adventure, has explored nearly every corner of his Colorado home — or so his family thought. But then, Cooper found a ‘secret portal’ and showed his family even their home could hide ‘secrets’.
Recently, Cooper’s curiosity led him to discover an uncharted “passageway” inside the house. What started as an innocent exploration quickly turned into a rescue mission, proving that even a hound’s instincts can lead to some tight spots.
While investigating his home, Cooper managed to lift the grate of an HVAC vent, uncovering what appeared to be a secret ‘portal’. The mysterious passageway, hidden beneath the floor, was irresistible to the adventurous pup. Without hesitation, Cooper wriggled into the aluminum ductwork, only to find that his new discovery was far less adventurous than expected.
The ‘secret portal’ that Cooper traveled through. Photo courtesy of the Grand Junction Fire Department
The “portal” wasn’t a secret treasure trove or escape route — it was just a stretch of HVAC ducting leading to the home’s crawlspace. Worse, it wasn’t built to hold Cooper’s weight. Before long, he found himself helplessly stuck in the crawlspace below, looking up with what his family described as a face full of regret.
Rescuing Cooper wasn’t something his family could handle alone, so they called in reinforcements. The Grand Junction Fire Department dispatched a three-man crew to the scene, ready to handle the unusual call. “The crew of Truck 6 was called to an unusual emergency this weekend — a pup in a predicament!” the fire department posted. Upon arriving, firefighters peered into the duct and spotted Cooper, wedged below and unable to move.
Unfortunately for Cooper, his secret portal ended up being an HVAC system where he now found himself stuck in. Photo courtesy of the Grand Junction Fire Department
“When they arrived and looked down the hole to find Cooper, it was a surprising and unexpected sight,” Capt. Charlesworth said.
While they had previously rescued ducklings from storm drains and puppies from crawl spaces, rescuing a dog from air ducting in a crawl space was a first.”
Despite the stressful situation, Cooper remained calm and friendly throughout the rescue. “Thankfully, our skilled firefighters acted quickly and safely, rescuing Cooper without a scratch,” the department said. Once freed, Cooper returned to his family’s arms, tail wagging enthusiastically as though nothing had happened.
Cooper and his family with the Grand Junction Fire Department. Photo courtesy of the fire department
The fire department expressed gratitude to Cooper’s family for trusting them and assured the community of their readiness to help, whether it’s “rescuing pets, fighting fires, or helping our community stay safe.”
Hounds will always follow their noses, and Cooper showed he was no exception. But hopefully, this curious pup has learned that not all mysterious places are worth exploring. For now, Cooper can enjoy the comforts of home — and his family is keeping an even closer eye on their dog’s antics and explorations.
