A dog’s cries from a construction site led rescuers to a painstaking effort to free her from hardened concrete.

On March 18, 2026, a dog named Paris was rescued after becoming trapped beneath concrete at a construction site in Kuşadası, in Turkey’s Aydın province. Ege Çoma, corporate communications department manager for AKUT Search and Rescue Association, told The Bright Story that Paris had been trapped for about 24 hours. Firefighters and the AKUT team worked together to free her, while a veterinarian monitored her condition throughout the operation.

Desperate discovery

Residents heard a dog barking through the night near a construction site in the Soğucak neighborhood and alerted the Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department. Firefighters found Paris trapped beneath concrete and called AKUT’s Kuşadası team for help. The Turkish news outlet Hürriyet reported that the rescue lasted about seven hours.

AKUT’s Kuşadası team members work to rescue Paris from the hardened concrete. (Courtesy of AKUT Arama Kurtarma Derneği)

The site presented a difficult challenge. “The concrete used in the construction was of a type—such as C40—that is extremely difficult to break. The operation took a long time because Paris was trapped in a spot where the concrete was particularly thick, and the surface above—as seen in the photos—was paved with stone. Paris’s location was approximately 1.5 to 2 meters below the base level of the building,” Ms. Çoma told The Bright Story.

Paris was caught in a small, cave-like opening where the building’s foundation met the walkway. During construction, wet concrete reached the cavity and began filling it. Her legs and part of her body became encased as the material hardened.

Paris was trapped in concrete. (Courtesy of AKUT Arama Kurtarma Derneği)

Yet the small space also held the key to her survival. “Although her legs and part of her body became encased in the concrete, she managed to create a small, roughly spherical chamber that contained enough air for her to survive. This space saved her life,” Ms. Çoma said.

Delicate operation

The fire department received the initial report, and two teams totaling six personnel began the operation. Firefighters opened part of the concrete slab above Paris. Because of the delicate nature of the work—and because one AKUT volunteer was a veterinarian—the AKUT team arrived 45 minutes after the initial report.

The concrete had hardened around much of Paris’s body. “The plaster had set, and because it had hardened, it was stuck to her body—her entire legs up to chest level, the right side of her neck and ear, the right side of her torso, and her tail were all embedded in and bonded to the plaster,” Ms. Çoma told The Bright Story.

Rescuers free Paris after a careful operation. (Courtesy of AKUT Arama Kurtarma Derneği)

By the time rescuers began their work, Paris was anxious from hunger, thirst and fear. Her loud cries and barking showed her distress. Before the rescue began, an AKUT volunteer veterinarian examined her and provided medical care. The team waited until she had calmed before starting to free her.

Throughout the operation, the veterinarian checked Paris at regular intervals. The rescuers proceeded in a controlled manner, breaking away the concrete while monitoring her condition. The slow work required patience, but allowed them to continue carefully until she was free.

Paris is safely freed from the concrete. (Courtesy of AKUT Arama Kurtarma Derneği)

Care after rescue

Afterward, AKUT arranged for Paris to receive treatment at a veterinary clinic unaffiliated with the team. Ms. Çoma said the decision reflected ethical considerations and allowed Paris’s ongoing treatment to continue voluntarily at another clinic. AKUT received health updates from the clinic and monitored her condition for three days. Hürriyet reported that Paris was returned to her owner after a veterinary check.

Paris receives care from the veterinarian following her rescue. (Courtesy of AKUT Arama Kurtarma Derneği)

The rescue also prompted AKUT to use footage from the operation to raise awareness about animals near construction work. Paris’s experience showed how a small opening at the edge of a building project could become dangerous.

“We are now using footage from this rescue operation to raise awareness, aiming to prevent similar accidents involving animals—whether owned or strays—in areas where construction work is taking place,” Ms. Çoma told The Bright Story.

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