SAN ANTONIO – Two Animal Care Services officers are being hailed as heroes after rescuing a dog that was trapped in a backyard during a garage fire at a home near downtown.
On Thursday, ACS officers McCallister and Colon were driving through a neighborhood near I-10 and S Walters Street when they noticed heavy, black smoke nearby.
They followed the smoke six blocks away, where they found the source — a detached garage that had caught fire.
According to ACS, both officers notified dispatch to call San Antonio firefighters for backup, and then they searched the property for any people or pets in need of help.
That’s when they found Max, a sheepdog, who was huddled against a gate in the backyard of the property.
Officers said the backyard gate was locked shut, and the flames crept over the doghouse and were inching closer to Max.
A neighbor who just arrived home saw the flames and rushed to unlock the gate so officers could get to Max in time, according to ACS.
“Without hesitation, Animal Care Officer McCallister raced into the yard to rescue the large, terrified dog. He carried the pup, who we later discovered was named Max, out of the yard and safely loaded him into the front of their transport vehicle for a health and safety check,” ACS said in a statement.
SAFD and San Antonio police arrived shortly after and were able to put out the fire and keep it from spreading to surrounding homes.
No injuries were reported. ACS was able to get in touch with Max’s family, and they were later reunited.
Max’s owner thanked ACS for saving Max and for notifying SAFD before the flames spread to the home. It’s unknown what caused the fire.