A trailer hauling nine huskies overturned on Interstate 494 near Excelsior, Minnesota, prompting bystanders and officers to rush to secure the dogs after one slipped free.

The overturned trailer began to fishtail on the slick roadway and its structure failed, nearly splitting in two, according to accounts from the owner. The incident left the sled dog team’s handlers and nearby motorists scrambling to keep animals and people safe until the dogs could be gathered.

Owner Jack Christopher of Silent Run Adventures said his first thought was for the animals inside. “My first concern was the dogs inside, many of whom were startled but uninjured as the trailer came apart around them,” he said, describing the scene as responders and volunteers moved to help.

Christopher’s wife reached an escaped dog, Hoss, while a state trooper, a Minnetonka police officer and a firefighter helped manage traffic so the animal could be recovered, the couple said. Hoss ran along the freeway before being reunited with the owners, and another husky, Rebel, rode in the back of a patrol car and avoided serious injuries.

The Minnetonka Police Department assisted in the search for the escaped dog and local responders coordinated with the owners to secure the remaining animals. Community members and passersby joined the effort to round up the team and keep them from moving into traffic.

Christopher said the support from people on scene changed the tone of the event. “The community support that followed has been overwhelming and reaffirming, turning a terrifying moment into one marked by relief and gratitude,” he said.

All nine dogs were accounted for and the owners reported no injuries to people or animals. Silent Run Adventures, the sled dog business that owns the team, worked with responders at the roadside and afterwards to ensure the dogs were checked and transported from the scene.

Local television coverage described good samaritans stopping to help gather the dogs and officers keeping lanes clear so crews could work safely, according to outlets such as WCCO in Minnesota.

The incident underscored how quickly drivers, officers and nearby residents can act together when animals are endangered on a busy highway. Emergency personnel on scene included a state trooper, a Minnetonka police officer and firefighters who assisted with traffic control while the dogs were recovered.

The owners and responders said the animals were transported from the scene for checks, and the dogs were ultimately reunited with their handlers. Christopher expressed gratitude to those who stopped to help and to the emergency workers who secured the scene.

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Original reporting: view the original article.