Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/park-fire-puppies/

The Park Fire, which has already scorched more than 350,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 buildings in California, has prompted multiple evacuation orders. One resident fleeing the flames had to leave their dogs behind, but a dedicated search and rescue crew member ran to the rescue… literally.

According to a Facebook post from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, a resident was evacuating a remote area near Campbellville when their truck stopped working. There was no time to lose, so they had to leave it behind. Unfortunately, two Rottweilers and their puppies were still inside.

The panicked resident shared the truck’s location information with authorities, but they couldn’t access it immediately due to the flames. That’s where Trevor Skaggs came in. Skaggs, a member of the sheriff’s office’s Search and Rescue crew, was flown to the area via helicopter and was set down to get the rescue operation underway. He ran 1.5 miles to reach the truck, where all the puppies and their mother were still alive. Their father did not make it, however.

The sheriff’s office says Skaggs was able to get the five dogs to follow him, after sharing bits of his protein bar and some water with them. Once the animals and their rescuer were out of harm’s way, the dogs were evacuated from the area. They were placed in the care of the North Valley Animal Disaster Group in Chico, California.

The sheriff’s office wrote, “It’s been a horrific few days for our community and we are grateful to be able to share this amazing story.”

An update from the North Valley Animal Disaster Group included a video of the “helicopter puppies”, saying that they – and their mom – were set to be reunited with their owners.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog