Dog rescued from tornado rubble in Ottawa neighbourhood of Dunrobin

OTTAWA – A freelance journalist says a group of people rescued a dog who was trapped under the rubble in an Ottawa neighbourhood ravaged by a tornado.

Matt Day was in Dunrobin Friday evening, interviewing residents and trying to get a sense of the destruction caused by the twister that ripped through the Ottawa-Gatineau area hours earlier.

He says he heard a commotion from people across the street as he was speaking to families, and found out there was a dog – a beagle named Charlie – trapped underneath a pile of rubble a foot high.

Day and other members of the media rushed to the scene, some pulling their phones out to illuminate the area, which was being rapidly cast into shadow by the setting sun.

A video posted to his Twitter account shows two men, who Day identified as neighbors of the family who owns the dog, pulling the dog to safety.

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After the beagle was freed, Day said he seemed anxious and a little scared, but ultimately unharmed. Charlie’s family members have since been in contact with Day over social media.

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He says the group effort shows the strength of a community sticking together in a dark time.