A dog who became lost in the California wildfires never lost her smile, and has since been reunited with her owner.
The Camp Fire has been tearing through Northern California for almost two weeks after starting on November 8, and has destroyed homes, buildings and towns, resulting in evacuations across the area.
Amid the chaos, one adorable dog got separated from her owner. The poor pup burned her paws after walking on the ground scorched by the blaze, and she remained lost for almost a week.
The fluffy dog was tended to by firefighters who were searching the area and she was rescued, before being taken to VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, where her charred paws were wrapped up in bandages and she was given lots of love by the staff.
Even after her traumatic ordeal, the brave dog was described as the ‘sweetest pupper ever’ by staff at the clinic, and when her story was shared on Twitter, the good girl was said to have ‘never lost her smile’.
The pads of her paws were no doubt painful as a result of the fire, but the dog has pushed through the stinging and is thankfully now walking again and on her way to making a good recovery.
In an ending which would get anyone’s tail wagging, the lost dog has also, finally, been reunited with her rightful humans after almost a week of searching.
VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic shared the heartwarming story on their Instagram page, writing:
Our hearts are so thrilled when one of our Camp Fire survivors we are treating found their owner and is walking.
That’s a big deal when her paws have been so badly burned.
Our staff gives her loves all the time, she is the sweetest pupper ever!!!
We Rate Dogs, which is of course our ‘only source for professional dog ratings’, also wrote about the courageous dog on Twitter, giving her and everyone involved a very well deserved score of 14/10.
They wrote:
Here is a pup who was rescued from the California fires. Her paws were badly burnt but she never lost her smile.
After nearly a week of searching, yesterday she was reunited with her owner and is recovering comfortably.
14/10 for everyone involved.
Here is a pup who was rescued from the California fires. Her paws were badly burnt but she never lost her smile. After nearly a week of searching, yesterday she was reunited with her owner and is recovering comfortably. 14/10 for everyone involved pic.twitter.com/t8kU7i0ldV
— WeRateDogs™ (@dog_rates) November 19, 2018
The starring doggo in this story is one of many pets who’ve been discovered in the towns ravaged by the wildfires after getting separated from their families, or tragically been left behind in evacuations.
According to the veterinary clinic, local VCA Animal Hospitals in Butte County are providing free pet boarding for any animals displaced during the wildfires.
As well as dogs, the Loomis Basin clinic has taken in cats who survived the blaze. They’ve been accepting donations for the animals, including food, blankets, carriers and bandages, and shared how overwhelmed they are by the response.
They wrote on Instagram:
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Everyone has been beyond amazing and have donated so many items for all of the displaced pets and people from the Camp Fire. [sic]
This is only a portion of the donations we have received that we are taking up to Chico. We have even received home baked goodies to take to all the staff and volunteers!
Firefighters, medical staff, veterinary staff, volunteers and everyone else helping in the tragic situation are doing incredible work.
Our thoughts are with all those affected.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to [email protected].
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.