In a race against the raging flames, an urgent rescue operation was launched to save 70 cats and dogs trapped in the midst of the inferno.
3 cats and dozens of dogs were discovered by firefighters while they responded to a property engulfed in fire. The firefighters had to lead a real race against time to bring all these animals to safety, while fighting against the flames.
A house was partly destroyed by a fire, triggering the urgent intervention of firefighters who were surprised to find more than 70 dogs and cats there .
Reported by East Bay Times , the events took place late Tuesday morning, January 17, in Martinez , a city in California located about thirty kilometers northeast of San Francisco .
The fire broke out in the garage of the 2-story property around 11 a.m. local time, before spreading upstairs. Warned, the county firefighters ( Contra Costa County Fire Protection District ), some of whom were in the middle of a climbing exercise, quickly arrived on the scene.
Upon entering the home in question, they discovered an impressive number of animals in need of rescue. In total, 3 cats and 70 dogs, mostly Pomeranians and including puppies, were threatened by the flames.
Without wasting time and while fire and smoke were bursting everywhere, the responders evacuated all the quadrupeds and brought them to safety. The canines and felines were taken into the care of the county animal service.
By 11:30 a.m., the fire was completely under control. Fortunately, there were no injuries among the dogs and cats. 3 people living in the house were able to escape on their own, and only one of them had to be hospitalized for inhaling toxic fumes.
Legal breeder or puppy mill?
According to information obtained by Animal Services Lieutenant Alana Weissman , the Miniature Spitz had been released to the residents a week earlier by their owner, who lives in another city. The latter also came to collect them on Tuesday afternoon. This is clearly a breeder given the number of dogs and their breed. Commenting on the firefighters’ tweet reporting the rescue, Internet users raised the possibility that the person in question was at the head of a ” puppy mill “.
We do not know more at the moment. The only certainty is that all the animals are “ happy and healthy ,” assured Lieutenant Weissman .