Chihuahua rescued from US highway

A highway patrol officer pulled off a daring rescue when he saved a chihuahua stranded in the middle of a US road roaring with rush hour traffic.

Several motorists alerted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) on Friday evening after they spotted the "frightened" small dog running in and out of traffic on the Interstate Highway 680 not far from San Francisco.

CHP officer John Fransen later saw the dog huddling on the concrete divider in the centre of the road and used a protein bar to coax the animal into his arms.

A photograph of the rescue shared on Twitter was retweeted hundreds of times.

The uninjured chihuahua was taken to Contra Costa Animal Shelter, where it was still shivering on Saturday after its dramatic ordeal.

Animal services officer Sgt Cedric Williams told 5KPIX News that the dog, who he estimated to be about two years old, was "very frightened, as you can imagine".

Fransen said it's likely someone abandoned the dog in the middle of the busy highway.

"As sad as it sounds, it actually happens pretty often," he said.

Fortunately, the female chihuahua is likely to find a loving home. Fransen said there were several offers to adopt the dog soon after news of its plight spread.