This Dog Thought He’d Lost Everything—Then a Firefighter Stopped to Show Him Love
Amid the devastation of the LA Wildfires, a heartwarming moment between a firefighter and a displaced dog is melting hearts online. In a viral TikTok video, Max, a distressed dog wandering the fire-ravaged streets of Altadena alone, finds comfort in the gentle touch of a firefighter. (watch the TikTok below)
As flames rage around them, the firefighter pauses to pet Max’s head, offering the frightened pup a moment of solace. Max is one of many pets left behind in the chaos as families evacuated in frenzy and panic.
@savethedogs EDIT: Pinned an update of this dog Max with the hero that saved him!! There’s so many other dogs out there who still need us! If this dog is lucky he will end up in an already overcrowded-shelter with hundreds of other dogs left behind. The Pasadena shelter is already overcrowded. There’s so many dogs that are coming in that are scared and injured and need help and need clean food, water, shelter, medical supplies, blankets, and hopefully a home. If you can foster or donate anything helps. Link in bio to donate to the poor dogs of LA affected by the fire 😔 #fire #palisadesfire #altadena #pasadena #dogs #shelter #shelterdogs #rescuedogs #dogsoftiktok #firefighter #firefightertiktok #doglover #help #donate #losangeles ♬ Californias Burnin DEMO – mackeson
Once Alone and Miserable, Now Safe and Sound
The heartwarming moment between Max and the firefighter captured the attention of tens of thousands online, garnering 890K views and over 94K likes. Inspired by the viral video, Chris Abkarian, founder of Whittier Dog Club, risked his own safety to rescue the distressed dog, as revealed in the recent video by @savethedogs.
Chris located Max and carried him a mile and a half through the danger zone, bringing him to safety at his dog training facility in Whittier, California.
But the story doesn’t end there. The Street Vet, a charity providing free veterinary care to pets of homeless owners, visited Max at the facility for a health check-up. Max is healthy and has sustained no injuries.
Max Will Reunite With Family Soon
Chris has since contacted Max’s family, who plan to reunite with their beloved dog as soon as they’re able. In the meantime, Chris is ensuring Max receives all the care and attention he needs.
The truth about how Max was left behind has come to light. He ran away in panic during his family’s evacuation, startled by a loud explosion caused by the fire.
Whittier Dog Club commented in Max’s video, assuring viewers: “He is safe with us and thriving 🙏🏽🕊️His parents are in contact with us and he will go home when they can accommodate him✨”
Rocky Kanaka, a pet rescue advocate, said, “Max’s story is a powerful reminder of the heroes—both human and canine—emerging from the devastation of the LA Wildfires. From the firefighter offering comfort amidst the chaos to Chris risking it all to save Max, it shows the lengths we’ll go to protect these loyal companions.”
Thanks to the compassion of heroes like the firefighter and Chris, Max will soon reunite with his loved ones—avoiding the fate of many displaced pets who end up in LA’s overcrowded shelters.
Supporting Animals Affected by LA Fires
Several animal rescues in Los Angeles and surrounding areas are in urgent need of donations and emergency foster families. If you’re able to contribute, consider donating to the following funds dedicated to helping displaced and injured pets:
- Pasadena Humane Emergency Wildfire Relief Fund
- Lange Foundation
- Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation
You can offer your help as an emergency foster family for these animals. Your efforts will help free up space for new surrenders and displaced pets, enable rescues and shelters to expand their reach, and ultimately make a difference in the lives of more pets.
To get started, simply reach out to a local Los Angeles shelter to learn more about their foster program and how you can contribute.
