Heroic Man Runs Into Burning Home To Save His Dog

Christina Peden
by Christina Peden
When an Australia man came home to find his house in flames, he didn’t think twice before running in to save his best friend.


It’s every pet and home owner’s worst nightmare: a house fire.


Mark Woodbury had only gone out for 10 minutes to grab some supplies for an upcoming fishing trip when he returned home to find black smoke billowing out a back window.


Luckily, his wife and three children weren’t home at the time, but one very vital member of the family was still inside: Woodbury’s beloved rescue dog, Ditch.


Related: How To Prevent And Prepare For Fire Safety In Your Pet-Friendly Home


Without giving it a second thought, he ran into the burning house. “The first thing I thought of was Ditch,” he said. “There was no way I was going to let my dog burn to death.”


Woodbury ran through the smoke-filled house three times before finally tripping over something – which thankfully was Ditch.


Running outside with the cherished German shepherd cross in his arms, Mr. Woodbury tried to resuscitate Ditch himself. Luckily by this time, firefighters and paramedics were on scene, once of whom took over CPR and put an oxygen mask on the dog, which saved his life.


Related: Disaster Strikes! Do You Have An Emergency Plan For Your Dog?


We’re so happy to report that Ditch is now in stable condition at the RSPCA in Rutherford, Australia. Go Ditch!


Displaying the kind of optimism in the face of adversity that we all hope to have, Woodbury says, “I’ve lost all of my kitchen, all of my appliances, my laundry, my furniture, but it’s my dog, that’s the important thing.”


The local Fire and Rescue department is now investigating the cause of the fire and believe it may be due to an electrical fault.


Unfortunately, the family did not have any home insurance and lost many possessions in the fire. As of this writing, there is not currently a fundraiser or Kickstarter in place to assist the family, but watch this space. If we get word of one, we’ll add the information to this article.


In the meantime, Mark Woodbury – you are truly a hero, and we wish you, Ditch and the rest of your family the best.


[Source: Maitland Mercury]

Christina Peden
Christina Peden

Christina Peden is a lifelong animal lover and avid wordsmith. She lives in Toronto with her boyfriend Ryan where they are proud pet parents to puppy, Matilda and cat, Oscar. In her spare time, she can be found enjoying Toronto, Canada's all-too-short patio season, taking advantage of the city's numerous parks or curled up with a good book.

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