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For most of us, our pets mainly provide us with company. But for some pet parents, their furry friends end up saving their lives.
One dog, Willow, has been hailed as a hero for saving her parents’ lives after a fire at their apartment complex – this brave pup deserves all of the best dog treats.
Izabeau Pearston and Elijah Jackson were asleep at home in Kennewick, Washington, on June 12, when a fire broke out. Willow alerted them and woke them up, with 26-year-old Pearston telling the Tri-City Herald that the brave canine will be “spoiled for the rest of her days”.
At first, they didn’t think anything of Willow waking them up, but when they looked out of the door, they could see flames coming through their front windows.
The trio’s exit route was blocked by the fire, so they had to escape through a window. “My boyfriend told me to get the rope,” recalled Pearston of Jackson, 32. “Then he tied off the rope on the bed and rappelled down.”
Pearston then lowered Willow down to get her to safety before following her, by which time their apartment was full of black smoke.
Unfortunately, while the Kennewick Fire Department was able to put out the fire quickly, they still lost everything. Pearston said that they had nothing “but pajamas and a dog on a carabiner and rope,” adding, “We’re trying to figure out what steps to take next.”
All of the residents of the apartment complex were able to escape, with some of them jumping out of their windows.
“Minor injuries were reported and all occupants were evaluated by KFD,” said the Kennewick Police Department in a Facebook statement.
There has been a series of wildfires in the Tri-Cities after a period in which temperatures 10–20 degrees above average dried out grass and sagebrush. Ben Shearer, the public information officer for Benton County Fire District 4, explained: “It’s a little early, but not unexpected. We had all that rain this spring, now it’s been hot and dry. All it takes is a spark… All of the fuels are mid-summer season dry.”
While a major fire at home is something most people won’t have to experience, it’s important to know how you can keep yourself, your loved ones, and your pets safe. Put safety first and work on preventing fires in the first place, but also come up with an escape route, ensure you have working smoke detectors, and put pet alert stickers (like these from Amazon) on your window so that firefighters and other emergency personnel know that there are pets inside who need rescuing.
Read next: How to keep dogs cool this summer
