PETALUMA, Calif. (KRON) — The Cache Fire has devastated parts of Lake County — forcing people from their homes.
Animal Control officers from North Bay Animal Services traveled to Clearlake to look for any lost pets.
KRON4’s Amanda Hari spoke to one of the officers about finding two dogs among the rubble, and although they were scared — they’re alive and healthy.
The animal control officer said the property was completely burnt and they couldn’t find any signs of life.
Just as they were about to leave — she spotted the first dog.
“I just look over and I see this dog just laying underneath this trailer at first I thought it was deceased.”
You can see in a photo how the dark colored dog blends in with all the charred wood around it.
But animal control officer Emily Crum says she still wanted to go over to check on it, just in case.
“It kind of started blinking and wagging it’s tail and lifting up it’s head.”
She says she was surprised it was alive. It was attached to a chain that was wrapped around a trailer hitch.
The dog was uninjured, but not unaffected.
“It actually had pink of the fire retardant on it’s face. That was really sad.”
Crum says she was able to walk the dog to her truck and get him to safety.
“I was able to slowly talk to him and pet him and was able to get his chain off and after that you could tell he was gaining more and more trust and I was able to pet him.”
Soon after, they found a second dog huddled in a hole.
The dog also had a chain that got stuck around a tree.
“It was super scared at first but we were able to get it and it warmed up pretty nicely to me.”
Both dogs are O.K., they were taken to the Clearlake Animal Shelter where they discovered they have the same owner.
“They have probably lost everything and at least they have their dogs.”
Crum tells me pet owners should prepare for a disaster situation where they may need to evacuate by always having leashes and a crate ready to go.
If you can’t get your animal, call animal control and they will try to help.