Man Rushes into Blaze, Saves Shelter Dogs

March 12, 2001 
North Palm Springs, California, USA

Pup Pup and Babyboy wouldn't have stood a chance on their own.  The 1-year-old Leonberger and 15-year-old German shepherd found themselves trapped in a flaming, smoke-filled mobile home on the Orphan Pet Oasis (OPO) grounds this afternoon.

When shelter supervisor Jammer Gnann realized the situation, he wasted no time at all;  he was well aware that the two dogs were in there.

Grabbing a fire extinguisher and dropping to his hands and knees, he entered blaze, crawled below the thick smoke and managed to lead the two panicked pooches to safety.

“It was pitch black and the smoke was so low I could not see, but I just could not let Pup Pup or Babyboy burn,” said Mr. Gnann.

But even after Pup Pup and Babyboy were secured, the inferno still raged on, encouraged by the 30 mph desert winds.  The two dogs had been the only animals in that trailer (the OPO often converts donated mobile homes into nurseries), but the flames were close enough to threaten the main shelter which houses about 200 dogs.

As if one hero wasn't enough, Mr. Gnann's shelter co-workers Cesar Chaidez and Chris Nimitz now raced to free the dogs who were closest to the fire.

Even a man who was just stopping by to adopt a dog joined in battling the blaze with a garden hose before firefighters reached the rural property.

“I was not making much headway. I just wanted to keep it in check and away from the other animals until the firefighters could get here,” said the man, John Youtz of Desert Hot Springs.

A dozen firefighters arrived at the 8-acre site just as the situation was becoming critical; by this time the winds had whipped the flames into a frenzy.

Despite the fact that the closest hydrant was more than a quarter-mile away, the firefighters were able to contain the fire and ultimately extinguish it.

The cause of the fire is as yet unknown, but the damage is staggering.  The mobile home had not been covered by the shelter's fire insurance.

"The mobile and all it's contents are a complete loss," said OPO's Deputy Executive Director Jeff Baker.  In all, over $50,000 worth of damage had been done, but every animal was ok.

If you would like to offer your support in the cleanup and reconstruction effort of Orphan Pet Oasis, please visit their website for more information.

The Orphan Pet Oasis (pictured before the fire)
is a no-kill shelter resembling something more
like a park than a pound.

Related articles:
The 'Best Medic in the City' Revives Puppy
(March 26, 2001)
Pit Bull Saves Man's Life, Dies a Hero
(April 26, 2001)
Firefighters Save Over 100 Animals from Blaze
(From CatsInTheNews.com September 30, 2001)
Smoke Alarms Are Passé
When a Kitty Saves the Day!
(From CatsInTheNews.com September 11, 2001)

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