Blog Article
Bubba Lost Everything in the Eaton Fire. He Found Us.
A year ago, in the early morning, our Eaton Fire rescue dog lost everything he knew.
So did his family.
At approximately 3:00 a.m., neighbors pounded on their door. The fire was approaching. Time to evacuate. Fifteen minutes later, they were driving down the street with nothing but what they could carry.
A mom. A nine-year-old girl. Three dogs – two over ten, one just over two.
In the rearview mirror, the entire Jane’s Village section of Altadena was on fire.
Everything was gone.
Bubba’s five-month journey to our house started there. The next month brought a blur of couches and temporary stays, finally ending with 700 of his closest friends at the Pasadena Humane Society.
Over the following weeks, his family made the difficult decision to move him from “boarding” to “adoption.”
In May, we fostered him. It was supposed to be ten days. After two, all of us – including Bubba – knew he was home.
We spent two months working with trainer Cristina to address the trauma he’d suffered.
You see, Bubba trusted no one.
It took a short time for him to trust me. But with anyone else? Defensive. Reactive. His aggressive responses to strangers scared everyone who came near him.
One afternoon, he jumped on the back of my neighbor Bob.
Eighty pounds of two-year-old yellow lab, no warning. Bob had the exact reaction you’d expect.
That was the Bubba we were dealing with.
Then, in July, something shifted.
He decided most people are okay.
Others started seeing the friendly, loving dog I’d known since May. People began stopping me on our daily walks, noticing how happy Bubba had become.
Bob is now one of Bubba’s biggest cheerleaders.
Bubba is now a favorite of my neighbors. If he’s ever missing, I know at least four homes to check before going anywhere else.
We often joke that Bubba is running for mayor.
Beware, Victor Gordo.
Bubba found his forever home. Many others are still waiting.
The Pasadena Humane Society still has fire rescue dogs in boarding – and countless others ready for adoption. If you can help, donate here.