Doctor races to rescue dog hanging from ceiling after lead gets caught in lift doors

‘It was all slow motion, but it all happened so fast,’ says medical professional who helped save his neighbour’s pet

A quick-thinking doctor was able to save a dog from choking to death after his neighbour’s pet was caught in the doors of an elevator.

Dr Mohammed Awad had just arrived at the lobby of Olympus Harbor Island Apartments in the Florida city of Tampa when he saw a woman pulling desperately at her dog’s lead.

She was unable to free her pet after the cord had become stuck in the lift behind her. When the elevator began to move the animal was hurled into the air – before getting caught by the neck at the top of the door.

As the dog began to choke, the doctor raced forwards to help wrench the animal from its leash, throwing his own food to the ground.

CCTV footage showed that it took ten seconds before he finally managed to loosen the collar, sending both Dr Awad and the dog flying backwards.

Dr Awad told CNN: “My neighbour just got off the elevator with her dog and right when she got off, I could see the leash was still inside the elevator door.”

He added: “It was all slow motion, but it all happened so fast. Before I knew it the dog got launched into the air and I jumped into action.”

Following the heart-stopping rescue Dr Awad, who had just finished a shift as a medical professional, said he gave the pet a quick check up – and discovered the dog had suffered little harm in the ordeal.