It was another routine day of inspecting shipping containers at the Port of Houston for US Coast Guard officer Ryan McMahon when he and his team thought they heard barking coming from inside one of the thousands of containers surrounding them.
“Oh, it’s scratchy, man,” said one of the inspectors in a video they recorded Wednesday morning as the team looked at the containers, stacked about 25 feet in the air.
A crane was used to bring him to the ground, and out came a very sweet and friendly dog.
“As soon as we opened it, we could see the little dog’s face poking out. He was there, like he knew we were going to be there to open it. And he’s just, he’s not scared or anything. He seemed happy more than anything, to be out of that dark room and in the arms of someone who was going to take care of him,” McMahon, a petty officer 2nd class, told The Associated Press on Friday.
Coast Guard officials would later determine that the dog — since nicknamed Connie the container dog — had been trapped inside for at least eight days, without food or water.
Officers heard barking and scratching coming from inside one of the stacked shipping containers. AP
He’s a little dirty and “definitely skinny,” McMahon said.
McMahon and three other inspectors took Connie to an animal shelter in the Houston suburb of Pasadena, where she was examined.
The rescue group, Forever Changed Animal Rescue, has taken him in and is working to keep him healthy and ready for adoption.
Coast Guard officials would later determine that the dog — since nicknamed Connie the container dog — had been trapped inside for at least eight days, without food or water. AP
Coast Guard officials aren’t sure where the container is from, but inside are junked vehicles that may be sent overseas to be sold as spare parts.
“So based on that, they think that the dog was most likely in the junkyard, in the car. And that’s how he accidentally got into that container,” said Comptroller Chief Petty Officer Corinne Zilnicki.
McMahon said he was thankful he and his team were in the right place and at the right time to hear Connie bark and prevent the container from being placed on the cargo ship.
The team thought they heard barking coming from inside one of the thousands of containers surrounding them in the Port of Houston. TANNEN MAURY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
They typically conduct inspections once a week throughout the Port of Houston, and on Wednesday they were at the port’s Bayport Container Terminal, which likely has more than 10,000 containers, he said.
“It will take at least another week to get to where he is going (by cargo ship) and two weeks without food or water. I don’t think he’s going to make it,” McMahon said.
Forever Changed Animal Rescue thanks “all the amazing people involved in this rescue and saving Connie’s life.”
The rescue group said in a Facebook post that Connie was underweight, tested positive for heartworms and will seek treatment for her.
“We will also do a full checkup on him to make sure he receives all the care he needs and deserves,” the group said.
The inspectors had thought about adopting Connie, but it wasn’t the right time for any of them.
“We know with all of this, he’s going to a good home where they love him and take care of him,” McMahon said.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
