Firefighters save dog trapped on train trestle in Tennessee, reunite her with family

ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A cat stuck in a tree? It’s a rescue mission firefighters have carried out before. However, a dog stuck on a train trestle? That was a first for the Ashland City Fire Department.

“We got a phone call into the station from one of the police officers. Someone had found a dog on this remnant of a bridge,” Ashland City Fire Capt. Tony Clark recalled.  

The dog reportedly ended up on top of the train trestle after she went missing on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

“The conditions on the bridge, there was probably a quarter inch solid of ice. The dog didn’t have much room to turn around, or traction to do so either,” described another Ashland City firefighter, Stephen Jenkins. “We had one guy from Parks and Rec that walked out on the bridge that ended up having to ride down in the bucket before he got stuck himself.”

Power lines were also a concern during the rescue operation on Thursday, Feb. 2, so first responders used their ladder to get to the dog.  

“She was pretty timid, and then we turned her name tag and started calling her by her name, and that warmed her right up,” Jenkins said. 

After saving the pooch from the bridge, the fire department turned her over to Cheatham County Animal Control and shared the news on Facebook, which eventually led to the dog’s owners.  

“My husband and I cried most of the night because we thought we would never see her again,” said Amy Freshley Lebkuecher. 

According to Freshley Lebkuecher, her dog, Maisie, got loose during a Wednesday walk, so Thursday’s reunion was very exciting.

“She is sacked now,” Freshley Lebkuecher said as she aimed the camera toward the dog on the couch. “Some of the photos that they sent from the rescue, I could tell she was cold and she was scared.”

She told News 2 she’s so thankful for the Ashland City Fire Department and everyone else who made the reunion possible.

“Everybody loves their pets, everybody. And when something like this happens, it’s really gratifying to know that somebody’s got our backs,” Freshley Lebkuecher added.