A man in Paterson is being hailed a hero after he rescued a pit bull from an abandoned building.

Animal control officers had gotten several calls last week about a stray dog seen going back and forth through traffic near River Street. However, they weren't able to find the dog until Monday when the man, who worked near the abandoned building, heard the dog barking.

"We found this poor little dog. He's probably a year and a half old, shivering and shaking," says Paterson Animal Control Officer John DeCando. "You could see the ribs on the dog. He was actually more or less crying for help."

The abandoned building appears to have been burned down. Authorities are looking for the person responsible for leaving the dog. They could face a $1,000 fine or jail time.

The pit bull will be put up for adoption at Second Chance Pet Adoption.