Firefighters remove dog from fridge

YUMA, Ariz., March 3 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Arizona said they were called to an apartment by a family who said a small dog had taken up residence in their refrigerator.

Mike Erfert, spokesman for the Yuma Fire Department, said firefighters responded Friday evening to El Encanto Apartments to remove a dog from a refrigerator, The Yuma Sun reported Thursday.

The residents told firefighters the dog had entered their apartment and snapped at them whenever they approached it. They said they planned to lure it out of their home with some food, but the animal jumped into the refrigerator as soon as it was opened and refused to emerge.

Firefighters wearing protective gear were able to remove the dog, which was described as a form of terrier, from the refrigerator and place it in a dog crate borrowed from a family member of a firefighter.

"Firefighters could not remember a previous animal rescue from a refrigerator, but under the circumstances, this family's refrigerator was more accurately rescued from the animal," Erfert said.

The Humane Society of Yuma said the dog was returned to its owners elsewhere in the apartment complex.