Dog reunited with heroic firefighters who rescued him from Pasadena house fire

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 6-year-old Sheltie dog rescued from a house fire in Pasadena was reunited with the firefighters who saved his life after he was found unconscious inside the smoke-filled home.

Firefighters from the Pasadena, Arcadia and Sierra Madre fire departments responded on Sept. 9 to reports of a house fire. A 911 caller reported hearing a dog barking inside the home.

While no people were home at the time, Milo was trapped inside.

Sierra Madre firefighter Jessica Johnson found Milo hiding under a table amid thick black smoke. The dog was unconscious when she carried him outside.

"I barely could see him. I just kind of picked him up, brought him outside, and realized you could feel how limp he was," Johnson said.

Johnson, who is also a dog owner, said the rescue was emotional.

"I shed a little bit of a tear but, you know, you've got to keep it professional and continue to do my job, which I did. I did my job, and it came out successful, came out rewarding," she said.

According to Pasadena firefighters, Milo had been inside for at least eight minutes, and any additional time in the house could have led to a different outcome.

Firefighters administered oxygen and resuscitated Milo. It took about five minutes before he regained consciousness.

Milo's owner, Leticia, expressed gratitude to the firefighters during the reunion.

"Acting as quickly as they did, risking their lives for somebody else, and trying for it to be the best outcome as possible," Leticia said. "I'm forever, forever grateful. They're truly heroes."

Pasadena Fire Department officials said the incident serves as a reminder for pet owners to place a sign near the front door indicating how many pets are inside a home in the event of an emergency.

Milo is recovering and is doing well, according to his family. Although he is dealing with a slight cough, his vet expects him to be OK. He is scheduled for a follow-up checkup on Thursday and has returned to running and playing as usual.