WATCH: A Yorkshire terrier who was rescued from an apartment fire is doing well, and her owner reached out to thank the fire department. Alex Abdelwahab reports.
MONCTON – A Moncton dog owner and her pup visited a fire station Friday to personally thank firefighters for saving the dog’s life.
Budweiser, a two-year-old teacup Yorkshire Terrier, was close to drawing his last breath, when firefighters found him in the Belmont Street apartment fire two weeks ago.
His owner, Alissa Mackeigan said Friday that she owed the firefighters a lot for rescuing him.
“I owe them my dog’s life,” she said. “I don’t know what I’d be doing if I didn’t have my dog with me.”
Mackeigan woke up just before 7:30 a.m. on the morning of May 6 to find flames above her head. She and her boyfriend tried to look for the dog, but couldn’t find him. Mackeigan said eventually firefighters had to pull her boyfriend out of the apartment.
The unit was soon fully engulfed, but firefighters still worked to locate the dog. Firefighter Joey Whalen found him in a pile of shoes. Bud, as he is usually known, wasn’t doing well.
“We got him out and we got the mask on him,” Whalen said. “As soon as we put the mask on him, he seemed to really come around.”
Whalen explained that firefighters carry several different sizes of oxygen masks designed specifically for pets.
“You put their snout in the mask and then you just set how many litres a minute you want for the oxygen,” he said.
After firefighters had revived the pup, Division Chief Charles LeBlanc drove Bud from the scene to an emergency vet.
On Friday, Mackeigan said she was grateful that a firefighter took the time to look for her dog, saying she knows he put his life on the line for her pet.
“Not a lot of people would do that and Joey did,” she said. “I’ve very thankful and that’s why I’m here today.”
Bud is recovering from his injuries, but he’s not completely back to normal. The fire has left him blind and he has some trouble walking. Mackeigan transports him in a stroller now.
But Whalen said it was good to see how much better he was doing compared with the day of the fire. He said it’s always a good feeling when they know they’ve helped.
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