Act of bravery, compassion: 3-year-old Chinese girl turns 'little hero' for puppy trapped between building gap

Meet Nannan, a three-year-old girl from China who is being hailed as 'little hero' after doing what adults couldn't.

Turns out, she helped rescue a puppy trapped in a narrow gap between two buildings in Linxia, Gansu province, China, on August 26. A video of the rescue has since gone viral on social media.

According to reports, the stray puppy had fallen into a three-metre-deep crevice between buildings, making it impossible for adults or conventional rescue equipment to reach the animal.

It was then that rescuers devised an unconventional plan involving the toddler.

In the viral footage, Nannan is seen being secured in a makeshift harness before adults carefully lower her into the narrow space. She remained calm throughout the operation and she descends between a concrete ledge and a building wall to reach the trapped animal.

After reaching the bottom, Nannan gently picks up the puppy and holds it securely as rescuers pull both of them back to safety. The operation concludes successfully, with neither the child nor the puppy suffering serious harm.

But, wait. This happy ending isn't enough.

As per reports, Nannan's family had already formed a bond with the stray puppy and later adopted it, giving the animal a permanent home.

🐶❤️ She was only 3… but she became the puppy’s hero.

In Linxia, China, a father carefully lowered his 3-year-old daughter into a narrow gap using a makeshift harness to rescue a trapped puppy. 🥺

The little girl reached the frightened pup and helped bring it back to safety —… pic.twitter.com/gc1MuHHVWZ

— @Trecopo (@Trecopo1) September 1, 2026