WASHINGTON — Cats stuck in trees? Try dogs stuck in HVAC ducts. That’s exactly what Fairfax Fire and Rescue had to handle on Oct. 21, when they got a call that a small dog was trapped in an HVAC system. After the crew worked out their strategy, firefighter Mark Williams successfully cut a hole in the ceiling and rescued the dog safely. Watch video of the rescue below:

Engine 427, West Springfield, responded to a ruff and far-fetched rescue last night. A small dog was trapped in an HVAC duct. Crews took a paws to shed light on dogs location and work out strategy. Firefighter Williams cut a hole in ceiling and retrieved dog. A pawsitive outcome! pic.twitter.com/y9Gr46Ts0x

— Fairfax Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) October 21, 2018

The fire department released a video of Williams explaining what happened and how the rescue came about. He said that a toddler in the house removed a vent grate and the dog fell in. The dog’s absence went unnoticed for some time. Firefighters thought of ways to get the dog out, including asking if the residents had some tuna fish, hoping it might lure the dog out, as a kind of self-rescue. But the animal was too far down the vent. So, they went down to the basement and determined the dog’s location. Once they ascertained where the dog was, they used a ladder and a dry wall knife to free the tiny dog. https://youtu.be/OifvWWZ4SXs