A puppy abandoned by its owner was rescued by a firefighter and taken to a shelter. Last week, a building complex in Santa Monica caught fire. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a dog named Nalu unconscious and barely breathing.
“I found him in the heat and smoke,” Firefighter Andrew Klein told KABC. “When I reached out, I discovered he was already gone.”
Before placing the puppy in an oxygen mask, Klein performed “mouth-to-snout” CPR. Nearly 20 minutes later, the dog began breathing on its own, regained consciousness, and started to move. Neighbors then picked him up and took him to a nearby animal hospital.
Nalu, a Bichon Frise/Shih Tzu mix, was unable to be rescued when his owner, Crystal Lamirande, returned home to find her apartment on fire. According to KABC, although Lamirande lost everything in the fire, she has formed a new bond with her local fire department.
“That was pretty amazing,” Klein told KTLA. “I’ve participated in many animal rescues that didn’t end as positively as Nalu’s story. I’ve been involved in numerous similar animal rescues.”
“Without a doubt, his recovery was a success for both the team and the department,” added team members.
