Photo: Oregon Live
A fire chief out of Oregon is going viral after adopting a puppy that was saved from a fire.
Back in February, firefighters were called to the scene of a house fire in Curry County. A high wind storm knocked down multiple trees and power lines, causing a fire. The home was destroyed and although no one was harmed in the fire, multiple of their pets unfortunately died.
Deputy State Fire Marshal, Aubrie Krause was investigating the fire when he stumbled upon an unharmed puppy in the rubble. The puppy, named Blaze was eventually reunited with her family. While continuing to investigate Krause discovered another puppy, a 13-week old black lab.
"When I picked him up, I could see he was swollen in the face, and one eye was completely shut," Krause explains. "The other firefighter and I assisting in the investigation got in my pickup and took the puppy to the local vet."
The pup was taken to Brookings Harbor Veterinary Hospital, where Dr. Jeffrey Tribble recommended various treatments, including cold baths, medicated salve and wound management. Within weeks, the puppy was healed and ready to find his forever home
Krause wasn't able to keep the puppy herself but she knew the perfect person that could. Corey Bryant was the fire chief of Greenacres Fire & Rescue in Coos Bay. Him and his wife visited the puppy many times while in recovery, and they knew they had to adopt him. Bryant named the pup Smokey Bear, nicknamed Smokey. Bryant plans to train Smokey to educate others about fire safety and prevention.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal shared the heartwarming story to Facebook, and it quickly went viral. "Smokey's journey is a testament to resilience and hope, turning tragedy into an opportunity to save lives through education," they said in the post. "Let his story inspire us all to prioritize fire safety and cherish the furry heroes who teach us invaluable lessons along the way."