Dog, Stuck Playing Fetch with Owner, Had Sweet Reaction After Rescue (Exclusive)

A dog had a paw-some way of saying thank you to rescuers who provided aid after he became trapped while playing fetch with his owner.

The Setauket Fire Department shared a Facebook post on Aug. 20, in which they detailed that they received a call about a canine that got stuck between concrete balusters.

Speaking with PEOPLE, Fire Chief Charles Regulinski says that when his Long Island-based department learned that the pup — a 4-month-old Labrador retriever named Leo — was stuck, they didn’t know what they would initially find.

“We were expecting to find a dog stuck in something that could be easily bent or taken apart. Unfortunately, the pup’s head was stuck between heavy concrete balusters,” he explains.

“Out of the approximately 3,600 emergency calls we receive every year, only a handful are for animal rescues,” adds Regulinski. “We have had kittens and ducks stuck in storm drains, deer stuck in fences, and even cats reluctant to come out of trees — as cliché as it sounds.” 

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Once on the scene, members of the Setauket Fire Department found Leo “visibly uncomfortable and a little nervous at first.”

However, Leo “quickly warmed up to everyone that was there to help,” Regulinski says, adding that the dog “was one of the best patients we have had — never barking, growling or being exceptionally uncooperative.”

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According to the fire chief, “It took approximately 10 minutes to safely remove Leo’s head.” Personnel first used Dawn dish soap to try and shift the canine’s body, “but it was still too tight.”

“We determined that the fastest and safest way to get Leo out of his predicament was to move the concrete balusters with a rescue spreading tool, commonly referred to as the ‘Jaws of Life,’ ” Regulinski tells PEOPLE. “While one firefighter protected Leo’s head, another firefighter was able to slowly spread the two balusters until Leo’s head was free.”

Once “free from injury,” Regulinski says Leo “showed his appreciation by licking and snuggling all the crew that was there.”

The dog’s owner, meanwhile, “was a little nervous when we arrived, as anyone would be if a member of their family was in such a predicament, [but] he was quickly calmed by our presence and immediate plan to help Leo,” the chief adds.

immediately, Regulinski and the rest of his Suffolk County fire department are proud of the hard and caring work done to free Leo.

“Every one of our members always shows up to support community members in need,” he says. “One of the reasons the Setauket Fire Department is a special place is because there is a strong sense of community and the fact that we all are looking out for each other.”

“Like most volunteer fire departments across the nation, we are in need of new members that want to help their fellow neighbors in times of need,” Regulinski continues. “If that sounds like something you would be interested in, please reach out to your local fire department.”