Dog chained to railing survives Baghdad blast that killed owners

Dog survives Baghdad suicide bombing, owners die

BAGHDAD — All that was left were the walls and a lucky dog.

The ginger-colored hound, chained to roof railing, was left stranded on top of the remaining walls Tuesday as the rest of the house collapsed and killed the dog’s owners and their children in a suicide car bombing, Iraqi police and fire officials said.

The dog was spotted by a neighbor and rescue workers after a car bomb ravaged an area of homes and stores near the Finance Ministry during a wave of coordinated attacks that left at least 125 people dead and more than 500 wounded.

A neighbor said rescue workers pulled the bodies of the dog’s owners from the wreckage, but left the dog as they continued to hunt for survivors.

The dog’s location atop the rubble made it too dangerous for rescue workers and onlookers to try to quickly free it.

Police and fire officials said it was unclear what would happen to the dog if it went unclaimed. The Iraqi government does not have an official network to care for stray animals, and many Iraqis are unaccustomed to having pets.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release information to the media.