South Carolina firefighter adopts puppy he rescued from under pile of rocks

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (FOX NEWS) - A veteran firefighter in South Carolina adopted a puppy Saturday after he'd rescued the animal from under a pile of rocks the week before.

Capt. Paul Bryant with the North Charleston Fire Department was shown in a video posted to social media saving the trapped puppy on March 30.

Bryant and his fellow firefighters with Engine 201 rushed to the area after a man and his 5-year-old son heard cries coming from under the pile of rocks as they were riding their bikes.

According to a Facebook post from the Charleston Animal Society, the man and his son “decided to investigate and were surprised to see the pup under the rocks.” They rushed home to get a shovel and pickax to try to free him but were unsuccessful. When they realized they couldn’t get the puppy out, they called the North Charleston Police Department and Engine 201 was dispatched.

In a post on the North Charleston Fire Department’s Facebook page, Bryant, who said he has served with the Department since 2000, was seen digging the puppy out from under the rubble and pulling the dog to safety.

The puppy did not suffer any injuries; it was unknown how long the animal was trapped under the rocks. The dog was brought to Charleston Animal Society, Fox 6 reported.

After the animal society was getting the puppy ready for adoption by vaccinating it, getting it neutered and microchipped, Bryant requested to adopt the puppy himself, the media outlet added.

“This is meant to be, he’s my dog and he’s coming home with me,” said Bryant in a Facebook video on Charleston Animal Society’s page. Bryant also said he was looking forward to “getting him home, getting him a stable environment. Just giving him the love that he deserves.”

In the video, Bryant said he appropriately named the puppy “Rocky.”

“The good lord said, ‘this is your dog,’” said Bryant in the video.

Bryant said this was his first puppy rescue.

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