Quick action from neighbors, first-responders spares 8 puppies from garage fire

WOODS CROSS, Utah — A family expressed gratitude Friday for a watchful neighbor and the speedy response from firefighters and police that saved their eight puppies from a garage fire.

“We are super lucky to have these babies with us still,” Allison Peterson said.

On Monday, Peterson was away on Spring Break with her children, and her husband, Cary, was at work when smoke started to billow from their house.

“It was actually the heat lamp that was keeping the puppies warm (that) caught the tarp on fire,” Peterson subsequently learned from firefighters.

The next-door neighbor investigated to make sure nobody was inside the house, and then called 911.

Woods Cross Police Officer Travis Timothy and a crew from South Davis Metro Fire quickly arrived on scene.

Timothy said firefighters entered through the front and doused the flames, as he came in through the side door to the garage.

“Their whiskers were singed—that’s how close it was,” Timothy said. “They all were around my feet and cuddled up next to me trying to stay warm.”

Timothy said if crews had arrived just a few minutes later, the outcome may have been far different.

“(The puppies) were in a fenced-off area,” Timothy explained. “Next to the fenced-off area were four gas cannisters, so it could have been a totally different call. I think a couple more minutes (and it) could have been not a rescue mission—it could have just been a house fire.”

The puppies’ mother—a golden doodle named Lola—was around the back of the house when firefighters arrived and was visibly appreciative, Timothy said.

“She started wagging her tail,” Timothy said. “I remember her coming up to me, licking my hands like she was trying to say, ‘thank you.’”

Peterson—who breeds dogs—was also extremely thankful to first-responders and their neighbors that the month-old puppies were rescued.

“We are very grateful that they are awesome neighbors, and we’re glad they’re next to us, because they saved our babies and so did the officer,” Peterson said. “Yeah, we had someone looking over them, for sure.”