Ben Duke was scratched by the pooch for his trouble.
A hotel employee who has been regarded as a hero for using some quick thinking to save a dog stuck in an elevator says his actions were all in a day's work.
Read: Hotel Manager Springs to the Rescue After Dog's Leash Get Caught in Ascending Elevator
"I don't really consider myself a hero. I'm just glad I was able to save this little dog's life," Ben Duke, hotel manager at the Roadway Inn in Greenville, South Carolina, told Inside Edition.
The trouble began when a guest at the inn walked into an elevator with his luggage and dog's leash in hand.
Moments later, the doors closed and the elevator started moving — but his dog, Boo Boo, who was wearing the leash, was still outside.
Fearing Boo Boo would be hanged as the elevator ascended, Duke, who walked into the scene not a moment too soon, sprang into action.
"I tried to unhook it at first. But as he was getting pulled away, I realized I didn't have time. So as we were going up, I just got a better grip and pulled as hard as I could. Somehow it snapped," he said.
Duke could be seen in the hotel's surveillance footage immediately pulling at the pup's leash, and picking up the dog. When he realized he wouldn't be able to unhook the leash in time, he resorted to snapping the leash.
Read: Quick-Thinking Cops Save Dog Hanging From Car Window by Its Leash
Seconds later, Boo Boo hopped out of his arms, and ran down the hallway.
"He was clawing at me, he was scratching at my face, he was yelping. He didn't know what was going on at all," said Duke.
Gretchen Brannon is Boo Boo's owner. It was her husband who got on the elevator.
"If it hadn't been for you, Boo Boo wouldn't be here today," she told Duke.
Unfortunately, incidents like these happen more often than you might think. There are tips to keep your dog safe. Dog trainer Andrea Arden told Inside Edition, "Make sure you don't press the button for the elevator until you know your dog is in there with you," she said.
And make sure you have the right dog collar. A choke collar can kill your dog, while a breakaway collar will do just that — break away.
Watch: American Travels to Dog Meat Festival in China to Rescue More Than 1,000 Canines
