Crews rescue dog stuck on roof in Burlington

BURLINGTON, Mass. (WHDH) -- Emergency crews in Burlington rescued a dog stuck on the roof of a house. Drivers spotted the animal and made the unusual call for help.

Burlington Police at first thought it was a Halloween prank when the town building inspector called it in after driving by.

“This is gonna be a unique kind of call...as I drove by, there's a dog walking on the roof of a house..." the inspector told a 911 dispatcher.

Sure enough, the 7-year-old Chocolate Lab named Jeter was perched on top of the attached garage apparently after breaking through a second floor screen window and walking onto the roof.

"I don't think he's ever been left alone. He was always with other dogs," said Jen Scannell, Jeter's owner.

The first police officer on the scene needed help.

"I think we're gonna have to call animal control ...or the fire department. I have no idea how to get a dog down from the roof," an officer told the 911 dispatcher.

“Yes [we needed backup], we needed a ladder and someone who handles dogs regularly,” said Officer Mark Driscoll, Burlington Police Department.

That someone turned out to be Canine Officer Joe Papsedero, who came to Jeter's rescue.

“So we put the ladder up against the roof. I climbed up on the roof and grabbed the dog. He was scared, petrified, he was shaking all over. As soon as I started to get up onto the roof, he actually came right over to me. He wanted down,” Officer Papsedero said.

As a canine officer, Papsedero normally works with a drug-sniffing dog to catch criminals. He says this was a first for him.

“I was happy to help him out. I like dogs,” said Officer Papsedero.

The owners recently adopted the dog. They told police it was the first time they left Jeter alone in the house -- they think he was scared and wanted to get out.