Milo is a 6-year-old sheltie from Pasadena, California. On September 9, he was home alone when his family’s house caught fire.
A delivery driver passing by saw the smoke, heard a dog barking inside, and called 911. Crews from Pasadena, Arcadia and Sierra Madre rushed to the scene.
Sierra Madre firefighter Jessica Johnson was in only her second year on the job. It was her very first active house fire. Using a thermal camera, she went back into the home three times. Finally, she spotted Milo hiding under a table in the living room. He was unconscious.
“I barely could see him,” she told ABC7. “I just kind of picked him up, brought him outside, and realized you could feel how limp he was.”
Outside, crews placed a special pet oxygen mask over Milo’s snout. For five long minutes, nothing happened. Then Milo rolled over. He was alive.
Jessica, a dog owner herself, admits it touched her heart. “I shed a little bit of a tear,” she said, “but you’ve got to keep it professional.”
Five days later, Milo came back to meet his heroes. He sat calmly in front of the house, then spun with excitement when he saw a blue ball. His family gave each firefighter a custom shirt with Milo’s smiling face on it.
“I’m forever, forever grateful,” said his owner, Leticia. “They’re truly heroes.”
The family will be out of their home for a few months, but the vet says Milo will make a full recovery.
Firefighters also shared a simple tip: put a sign near your front door showing how many pets live inside, just in case.
Share Milo’s story to thank the brave people who never give up on our furry family members.