A Brazilian man is being hailed as a hero after he saved a dog that had fallen from a ninth-story balcony.
Joao Augusto was in the right place at the right time when he was walking through Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paolo earlier this month.
He heard a bark coming from an apartment almost 100 feet above him. When he looked up, he saw that there was a Shih Tzu that was in danger of falling off the balcony.
The complex’s caretaker, Paulo Narciso, had reportedly opened the door of the building when Augusto ran up and asked for help.
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As the caretaker ran up to see if the dog’s owner was home, Augusto went back outside to keep an eye on the Shih Tzu – and then it fell.
Nearby CCTV footage shows Augusto positioned under the dog with arms outstretched. When it falls, it slips through Augusto’s arms and knocks him to the ground. Then, it runs away unharmed.
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“I knew that I wouldn’t be able to catch her but I was aware that I could cushion the fall,” Augusto told the Daily Mail. “I was on the floor for a few seconds, but it was from relief.”
Despite the dicey nature of the impromptu rescue mission, both Augusto and the Shih Tzu named Mel were confirmed to be okay after the incident. According to reporters, the dog’s owner requested to remain anonymous, but she says that she has since installed protective netting over the balcony so Mel won’t repeat her experience.
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