“This baby knew that we were there to save him.”
Lauren Wong had gone with her girlfriend to see what used to be her home in Altadena, California. The home was destroyed in the recent California wildfires, and the pair were mourning that loss when they discovered someone who needed help.
“My girlfriend, she was walking up what was her driveway, she’s in hysterics, and she’s the one who actually found Canelo,” Wong said in a video for The Dodo. “She pulled it together and was like, ‘We need to save him.’”
Canelo was curled up in what used to be Lauren’s girlfriend’s yard, looking defeated. He wasn’t moving, and the women were afraid he might be more injured than they could see.
“I went down the driveway, I found a truck full of guys and I was like, ‘There’s this dog that needs help,’ and without hesitation, they jumped out that vehicle and came right away,” Lauren said.
The group got him some food and water and covered him with a blanket, trying to make him more comfortable while they figured out what to do.
“We were all afraid to pick him up,” Lauren said. “We didn’t know the severity of his injuries. We knew his paws were burned and a bit of the front of his mouth.”
While they were tending to the pup, a news crew spotted the group and interviewed them all about what was going on. All the while, Canelo just sat there. He seemed to trust his new friends to do what was best for him.
“This baby knew that we were there to save him,” Lauren said.
Finally, they were able to lift Canelo into the truck, and the men drove him to Pasadena Humane Society — and it wasn’t long before Canelo’s owner found him there. He had lost his beloved furry friend while frantically trying to evacuate, and had been hoping for his safe return ever since.
“He had him in the back of his pickup truck, but with all those embers flying, Canelo got scared, jumped out and ran,” Lauren said. “With all the smoke, it was impossible for him to find Canelo.”
Canelo is still recovering from his injuries at Pasadena Humane Society, and will head home to his family as soon as he’s healed. He and his owner are so grateful to the kind people who found him. They were dealing with their own tragedies, but they still took the time to save Canelo’s life.
To help Pasadena Humane Society rescue animals affected by the fires, you can donate here.
You can help rebuild Lauren’s girlfriend’s house by donating the the GoFundMe.
