18 dogs were rescued last Saturday from a fire inside of a shopping center in Simi Valley, California, reports Fox 11.
A Daring Fire Rescue
Early in the morning, firefighters answered a call from a local business owner. According to the Ventura County Fire Department, the call came around 9 a.m. At that time, the shopkeep found smoke filling his entire store. Apparently, the smoke was so dense it went down to his knees. To make matters worse, firefighters said the flames had spread into other buildings close by. Altogether, the flames damaged about 10 businesses on the property.
Unfortunately, one of the businesses affected was the Simi Valley Pet Resort. Inside, flames and smoke approached 18 dogs stuck in crates. Luckily, with help from the public, firefighters successfully vacated the 18 dogs on the property. Videos and photos posted on the fire department’s Twitter page show the pups being cared for by first responders and good Samaritans.
After stopping the fire, the VCFD contacted concerned dog parents to have them retrieve their furry friends. As of the moment, firefighters have not determined the fire’s cause.
Little Lasting Damage
Amazingly, of the 10 businesses affected by the fire, only one suffered structural damage. Most importantly, there were no reported injuries. Thankfully, there wasn’t anybody else inside the closed shopping center.
Soon enough, the dogs will safely return to their homes and not suffer any adverse health effects. Similar to humans, exposure to dense smoke can cause lasting damage to our pets. Smoke inhalation can put dogs in a vulnerable state to contract an array of respiratory issues. Additionally, treatment costs and therapy for diseases like emphysema can add up very fast, not to mention the effects on our dogs’ standard of living.
Thankfully the quick reactions of first responders—and heroism from the public—saved these dogs’ lives.
