Kind stranger stopped traffic to rescue a terrified Dalmatian stranded in a busy NYC intersection — and turned out to be a Spider-Man star
It is not every day that a kind stranger jumps out into the busy traffic to save a stranded dog in a heroic rescue. The odds of that stranger being a Hollywood star are even lower. However, one dog owner in New York City was fortunate enough to witness both when her dog was rescued by an A-lister on Thursday, October 17, 2019. Her pet dog, a gigantic Dalmatian, had somehow escaped and run into the middle of a busy intersection with no way to return. Before the owner could figure out a way to rescue her pup, a famous face turned up to save the day.
A canine crisis unfolded in Tribeca when an on-leash dog managed to wriggle out of its owner’s clutches and get stranded in the middle of a busy NYC road around 10:20 in the morning. A passerby who was kind enough to stop and look turned out to be Spider-Man star Jake Gyllenhaal. While his representatives refused to comment on his life-saving feat, an eyewitness confirmed his identity. “I noticed that it was Jake Gyllenhaal, and I saw him turn and look into the street—I thought he was trying to flag down a cab or something,” the witness told Page Six.
The 44-year-old star was walking down Laight and Hudson streets when he noticed the terrified Dalmatian stranded amidst the bustling intersection. The dog was too big to be controlled by its small owner, who was said to be about three feet tall. Gyllenhaal reportedly did not hesitate to step into the flowing traffic to reach the Dalmatian, apparently standing still in shock. As the actor walked out into the open traffic, risking his life, cars screeched their brakes, bringing a part of the traffic to a standstill. “He really was a hero,” said the eyewitness. He attempted to calm down the dog and led it back to its owner, safe and unharmed.
Noting the distressed owner, the Brokeback Mountain actor also advised the owner about the types of leashes to prevent a similar incident from repeating in the future, following his heroic rescue. According to a report by PEOPLE, the actor has been spotted around NYC several times with his new rumored affair, French model Jeanne Cadieu. A dog owner himself, Gyllenhaal has well-established his love for his furry pals, puggle Boo Radley and German Shepherd Atticus. During an appearance on The Tonight Show in 2021, the actor spoke at length about his dog’s peculiar feature, which he felt was worth sharing on a popular platform.
His pet dog, Atticus, was neutered for health reasons and had something called “neuticles,” as suggested by his veterinarian. Neuticles were said to be silicone testicles for neutered pets, and Gyllenhaal was proud to share that his pet dog had them. In an earlier interview with W Magazine, the star also expressed his love for dogs. “I love dogs, I just love them. They are so playful. They bring that out in us if we allow it. I don’t think I’m that playful, generally. I need to be reminded of it. So, they remind me of that,” the star once shared.