***EVERYONE READ THIS ***

[Desert Arabian]

I am here to share a horrific story that just took place outside my house today...

I want to make sure everyone has a game plan for getting pets out of your house incase it starts on fire. Tell ALL your neighbors about your animals, make sure they know EXACTLY what you have and what dog breeds. Place pet rescue stickers on more than one window of your house.

Earlier this afternoon (about an hour ago) our neighbors house (across the street) caught on fire, about 4 fire trucks and an ambulance were outside our house. A young golden retriever (less than 2 years old) lives inside the house that was on fire, I knew it was inside at the time. I saw a firefighter hooking up the hose to the hydrant and immediately ran over to him and said "There is a golden retriever in that house, get it out! Make sure you get the dog out of the house", and I ran back across the street to my house. The firefighter looked at me as if I had 7 eyes and 3 arms and said "Ok, thanks for telling me" and proceeded to do nothing to help get the dog out of the house- he didn't even alert any other firefighters to the dogs presence in the house. I stood there in horror, along with 5-6 other neighbors, and watched the firefighters take 6-9 minutes to get their gear ready and hoses set up, and then slowly begin to make entrance to the house and hose the house. I have never seen anyone move so slow, we were shocked. I kept saying "Get the dog, please get the dog" over and over again (to the neighbors around me, not the firefighters) and waited to see if the dog would come out. Well, the dog eventually came out- in the arms of a firefighter limp as a noodle and resembled a long-haired black lab not a golden retriever. I screamed and started crying as soon as I saw it; I knew the dog had died. They placed the dog in the snow and covered it with a blanket. The house owners were not home, they have young kids under the age of 7.

I do not want this to happen to anyone here on Pet Talk, do everything in your power to see that your pet/s have a chance of getting out of a fire safely. Hopefully, your fire department is better than mine and will actually act quicker and do their job. I am now beyond horrified and worried to high heaven- if my house sets on fire I know my pets stand no chance of surviving.

I am so shaken up, if none of this makes sense, I am very sorry, I can't think very clearly right now. This will stay with me forever, and the image of the dog coming out of the house will forever haunt me.

[aly]

Oh my god :(

I'm so sorry, :( That is so horrible. I am so horrified and I'm not even the one who had to see it. I'm so so sorry :(

Maybe you can tell your local humane society or anyone who could possibly get the story in the media. They need to be held accountable for their actions, or at least they should have pretended to care or explained something to you.. I dont know. I'm sorry :(

[caseysmom]

I can see that it could have been life threatening for the firefighters but come on they obviously did not care...what a bunch of jerks. You tried your best....rip to your neighbors golden retriever.

[luvofallhorses]

:( :( :( RIP little one.

[Desert Arabian]

I just cannot believe how d@mn slow they were, I mean...they were BEYOND slow! I understand that running around in a panic isn't the way to go either, but they sure could have picked up the pace. Then they just stood there in the front lawn looking at the house and dragging the hose up the house. It probably was 10 minutes after their arrival before anyone entered the house.

And the guy who I talked to about the dog...did nothing...that's the worst thing right there...absolutely nothing....

Me and my neighbors were ready to run over there and do the fricken job ourselves.

What if there were people in that house???? They would have been carried out like the dog too.

I am kicking myself in the butt right now, I should have grabbed the camera and videoed the horrible job they did- but I thought it would look VERY tacky to tape someones house burning down.

I apologize for the rants Pet Talk. Need to get it off my chest.

[Jadapit]

How horrible that must have been for you. I can not even imagine having to see that. The firefighters were totally in the wrong on this one!! My dad was a fireman for years and that is not how they handle things where we live. That is so heartbreaking. That poor dog. I'm truly sorry you had to see that.

Please don't blame yourself at all. You told the fireman about the dog it was their job to move quickly and try to get him/her out. I didnt even see it and it's going to bother me for awhile.:(

[micki76]

My cousin is a firefighter, and their supervisors will not let them enter a burning structure until they are fully geared and EVERYONE is fully prepared. I would personally prefer that my house burn down (yes, even with my dogs inside) than for a father, mother, son, brother, sister, or my cousin to rush into a structure without knowing the most about it that they can, and following procedure to the T. They are there to fight the fire and save lives but not at the cost of their own, or their fellow firefighters. You don’t know what all is required before they can enter a structure - I didn't until he became a fireman. They can’t just throw on a mask, grab a hose, throw open the door, and rush inside. Not even to save your life.

My cousin has had several close calls and nearly died fighting a fire, and that was after following all procedures and getting the go ahead from the supervisor on scene.

I know you’re upset, but really, think about the sacrifice these men & women are making and think about what you’re asking them to do. Do you really want a child to grow up without a parent due to some silly mistake that could be made if they entered that house unprepared?

I'm sorry that you had to witness the whole horrible scene. :(

RIP sweet puppy. :(

[Glacier]

I'm sorry for the pupper and his family, but as the wife of a firefighter, I have to defend them. There are extremely strict rules regarding how and when a firefighter can enter a building. If they violate those rules, well, if they are lucky, they get fired, but there is a dang good chance they will die. Those men and women were doing an extremely difficult, dangerous job. They put their own lives on the line to save others every day. I know it seemed slow, but I am sure they worked as fast as they could. Unfortunately, saving pets is at the bottom of a firefighters list of things that must be done when they are preparing to enter a burning building. Personally, I want my husband and his crew members to be as safe as they can be when they enter a fire.

Everyone should have a plan for getting their animals out in the event of an emergency though--especially if you have multiple animals. Moving 21 dogs would be complicated, but we've got a plan if we ever have to!

[petslover]

I agree with Micki.

[Chica]

THAT IS AWFUL! :eek: DO YOU THINK IT WOULD DO ANY GOOD TO COMPLAIN TO THE CAPTAIN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OR YOUR CONGRESSMAN ETC. I WOULD FIND OUT WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE RESCUE OF THE BURNING HOUSE AND COMPLAIN THAT THEY DID NOT DO THEIR JOB IN SAVING THE ONLY LIVING THING THAT WAS THERE (THE DOG). SHAME ON THEM!!!

[Logan]

Laura, as I read your post, I was horrified, but then reading what Micki and Glacier said........it makes sense. It would not hurt for you to find out more about "why" they didnt' do something sooner. Talk with your fire department and ask about their procedures. If nothing else, you might get some peace about the situation. I can imagine that sleep will come with much difficulty for you tonight........and I completely understand why. So try to investigate further, without the anger, as to what is expected, and find out if there is anything that could be changed to try and save animals in the house. If what you witnessed is the norm, then all the stickers in the world aren't going to do any good. :( All of my pets do not stay indoors during the day when we aren't here, but some of them do. This is scary to me.......

[wolflady]

Originally posted by Logan
Laura, as I read your post, I was horrified, but then reading what Micki and Glacier said........it makes sense. It would not hurt for you to find out more about "why" they didnt' do something sooner. Talk with your fire department and ask about their procedures. If nothing else, you might get some peace about the situation. I can imagine that sleep will come with much difficulty for you tonight........and I completely understand why. So try to investigate further, without the anger, as to what is expected, and find out if there is anything that could be changed to try and save animals in the house. If what you witnessed is the norm, then all the stickers in the world aren't going to do any good. :( All of my pets do not stay indoors during the day when we aren't here, but some of them do. This is scary to me.......

Great idea Logan.
I was horrified when I read this too, and I can't imagine watching someone's beloved family member die like you did, yellowlablover. I can understand having rules about when to enter a building, but it did seem like they didn't care. I would be interested to know what they have to say about that if you choose to speak with them about it like Logan suggests.

**hugs**

[GraciesMommy]

https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/SSurvey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=1460
I am appalled! That poor baby! Those poor people. My heart goes out to them.
The above link is to order your FREE decal that is to go on your front door and fill out letting the fire dept and police know that you have furkids inside the house incase of an emergency. I hope every one will order one and get it on your front door. I already have my filled out and put up.

[petslover]

Thanks Graciesmom, I just ordered one. Thats a good thing to have.

[luvofallhorses]

Thanks Graciesmom, I just ordered one. Thats a good thing to have.

I just ordered one, too. Thanks :)

[luckies4me]

I can't imagine them acting that slow. The firemen here are fast! If it were me, I would have ran into the building myself. There is NO WAY I would have stayed there and watched them do nothing. It SHOULD NOT take 10 minutes to get ready to distinguish a fire, and this I know as my ex boyfriend fights fires. That is his job. And yes, they ARE there to save lives. That is their job, which is why they carry medical equipment on their trucks! They are there to put out the fire AND save lives. Perhaps this man could have cared less, but the least they could have done was tell someone. Something could have been done to save this dog. I don't believe for one second that more couldn't have been done.

[rizzy]

I dont really know what to say about this. I am so sorry you had to see that Yellowlablover, I cant even imagine such a sight. I agree with what Logan said though. Poor dog, and family.:(

[Desert Arabian]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I feel *so* bad for that family, their kids are so young- this has to be so traumatic for them- loosing their dog and toys...wow. :( :( :( The house doesn't look bad at all honestly. There is absoultely no external fire damage (inside possibly, but no flames were seen). The windows are knocked out (they are now boarded up), the inside of the house is pitch black, and it smells like burining rubber. I think the house is repairable, only about 1/4 of the house has damage, the rest looks totally untouched.

About two hours after the fire my neighbor Stephanie and I went to the pet store and bought decals for windows. I kept 2, she kept 2, and the rest we gave to our other neighbors who have pets.

There were absolutely NO flames visable in/on the house, just smoke coming from the roof/gutter area. They smashed out the windows and smoke could be seen coming out of the windows. Once they did enter the house and hose the house they were done in about 15 minutes. There was not one flame to be seen anywhere on the house- it wasn't like 15 foot flames were billowing out of the windows making it nearly impossible to enter the house, like other houses I have seen on fire, then it would be very understandable how long it took them.

A couple of months ago a house at the other end of the block started on fire around 3 AM in the morning. A wheelchair bound elderly lady and her dog were killed in the fire, seeing how it was most likely the same squad who responded- I can totally see why the poor lady and her dog never made it out of the house. :(


Personally, I would run back into the house to get my animals, they mean so much to me, I could not stand on the sidewalk knowing that my pets are still inside..no way!

[dukedogsmom]

That is so horrible. I probably would have run in the house, myself. I can see both sides to this. The one fireman you told should have at least told someone else about the dog. I hope the firemen in my area aren't like that. I would like to know that my animals stand a chance in case that ever happens. Just one side note: I would hope everyone feels the same about the firemen/women, regardless if they have children or not.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Poor, doggie.... :( :(
I don't understand what a "decal" is, I didn't find it in my dictionary either. Can someone please post a picture of that? Thanks!

ps. Oops, I just saw the other thread about this! Thanks Gracie's mom!

[Tweety_Pie]

aww Laura, Im so sorry. That must have been really scary! :(

I sorta know how you feal.. We live in a townhouse and our old neighbours were just brats. The littlest one, who was about 6 at the time found his mothers lighter (she was a heavy smoker) and he lit her curtains on fire in her bedroom. Even sadder they had 6 birds, 4 cats, and a 12 week old puppy (collie mix).. Well the little brat lit his moms curtains and fire and ran out of the house. It took the fire department a while to get there to.. and THEY ARE ABOUT 2 MINUTES AWAY!!! All I can remember is my dad running in the house and running out with animals. After 2 other men ran in and started bring out the animals. Only one never got brought out.. it was their puppy, he was under the bed and he lost his life in the fire:( he never had a chance. Its scary to hear the breaking glass and cracking of the fire, its even worse to the that your neighbours house is on fire.. and your house is ATTACHED! The day after the fire my mom called Animal Control (some neighbours took in some animals, we took in a cat) and we ended up bringing the animals to the shelter, to find a better home. We would have adopted the cat, but my mom is very allergic.

I feal horrible for your neighbours.. I can't imagine what you were going through. I will be keeping them in my thoughts.

[Desert Arabian]

Maya & Inka, here is an exmaple of an emergency decal (also can be called sticker): http://www.pets.ca/onlinestore/module.php?name=onlinestore&func=viewprod&prodid=70

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by Tweety_Pie


I sorta know how you feal.. We live in a townhouse and our old neighbours were just brats. The littlest one, who was about 6 at the time found his mothers lighter (she was a heavy smoker) and he lit her curtains on fire in her bedroom. Even sadder they had 6 birds, 4 cats, and a 12 week old puppy (collie mix).. Well the little brat lit his moms curtains and fire and ran out of the house. It took the fire department a while to get there to.. and THEY ARE ABOUT 2 MINUTES AWAY!!! All I can remember is my dad running in the house and running out with animals. After 2 other men ran in and started bring out the animals. Only one never got brought out.. it was their puppy, he was under the bed and he lost his life in the fire:( he never had a chance. Its scary to hear the breaking glass and cracking of the fire, its even worse to the that your neighbours house is on fire.. and your house is ATTACHED! The day after the fire my mom called Animal Control (some neighbours took in some animals, we took in a cat) and we ended up bringing the animals to the shelter, to find a better home. We would have adopted the cat, but my mom is very allergic.

I feal horrible for your neighbours.. I can't imagine what you were going through. I will be keeping them in my thoughts.

That is horrible!! :( :( Wow. Why would that mom leave a lighter in reach of a stupid kid!? That is good news to hear most of the animals made it out safe, that is so good to hear. The puppy must have been scared to death, if only it knew to flee from harm instead of hide. :( Poor baby.

[anna_66]

Laura what a horrible thing for you to have to see and I can't imagaine how the family felt loosing their family pet:(

Thanks GraciesMommy, I just ordered mine.

[micki76]

Originally posted by dukedogsmom
Just one side note: I would hope everyone feels the same about the firemen/women, regardless if they have children or not.

Ok. I may be feeling over sensitive here (and I probably am, I've been that way all week) but if this is directed at me, please note that I said:


Originally posted by micki76
I would personally prefer that my house burn down (yes, even with my dogs inside) than for a father, mother, son, brother, sister, or my cousin to rush into a structure without knowing the most about it that they can, and following procedure to the T.

[Orca]

:( Thats horrible!! I'm glad you tried to help, but at the same time, sorry you had to see it :(

And I also recommend those emergency window stickies - most pet stores have them too, we sell them at the pet store I work at. They are like $2

[Corinna]

i have to say this but if it was just smoke at the time if it had been going for 5-10 mintues before the call came in .to the fire station. It is a good chance the dog was already dead, smoke inhalation is the #1 cause of deadth in most fires. You as a human only have 5-7 mintues before it causes unconsuoness. You can give your self a mintue more by getting low on the floor with a wet cloth over your face.
Most fire stations who do safty training have a video called ,"Get out alive" It takes you in to what a real fire is like. It is dark and scaryin there, I saw it after my hubby left firefighting good thing as I would have been very terrified know it now.
Please every one try tosee this video before judging those brave guys and gals who mostly are volenteers . Also ask them about the guidelines on house fires and pet polyices .
I have a father and hubby who both were fire fighters, as much as I love my pets they are not as important as a human life .(NOT wanting to get into the human vs animal debate. MY opinion)
You say a rubber smell it was a toxic substance that burned the fumes also can cause death from that. My guess is the dog was already gone by the time they got there. I know this isn"t suger coated but I have very strong feelings on this kind of subject.

[Desert Arabian]

My dad talked to the lady today (the house owner) and she told him the fire was started by a heating pad that they left on. I used to keep a heating pad on for the rats- not anymore! I just thought I'd let everyone know in case some were wanting to know the cause.