When West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Capt. Gregg Gordon and his team responded to a brush fire, the last thing they expected to see was what they saw that day.
Someone in the area said that they thought there was a dog stuck in the thicket, and as they approached the area, they realized that the dog wasn’t stuck – he was tied up. A small white and brown dog was completely covered in burns all over his body.
“The little guy was burned up pretty good.” Gordon told Palm Beach Post. “Even when we grabbed him, he was very distressed. I was concerned whether he would live.”
The 2-year-old dog was cut free by firefighter Marcos Orozca and rushed to Peggy Adams Animal Rescue for medical evaluation.
After being looked at by the animal rescue’s veterinary team, they concluded that he was going to need serious medical care and a lot of rehabilitation. At this point, they transferred the injured and sick dog to Jupiter Pet Emergency & Specialty Center (JPESC) where he could receive specialized care for his burns.
Once at the hospital, the staff endearingly named his Smokey. He was going to need multiple blood transfusions, medicated baths, bandage changes, and around a dozen treatments in a hyperbaric chamber. Dr. Latimer was the main vet in all of Smokey’s treatments, and they formed quite the bond.
After a few weeks of treatment, Smokey had begun to improve at an unbelievable rate. He was starting to come out of his shell too.
Having survived such a harrowing ordeal, it’s understandable that it would take some time for Smokey to open up and truly be himself, but soon – his pain started to cease and he was able to show love and affection toward humans.
According to Palm Beach Post, Smokey is going to be fostered by Captain Gregg Gordon until they could find him a permanent home. The amazing dog still has a long road of recovery ahead of him, but everyone is ecstatic that he is safe, on the mend, and most of all – loved.
Investigators are looking into the cause of the fire that took place at a homeless camp in the area.
“The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but he said fires are fairly common at these camps. Gordon believes that because the dog was chained up near a campsite, he was more of a guard of the property than a companion,” Palm Beach Post reports.
Even though he had an absolutely horrible past, Smokey’s future is looking bright. Even though he went to a safe and loving home, Smokey thought about all of the rescuers and vet staff at JPESC that saved his life every day.
Soon, it was time for Smokey to go back to JPESC for a check-up, and the moment he sees Dr. Latimer, he absolutely goes crazy with excitement.
The sweet dog is clearly happy to see all of the vet techs that helped him survive his terrible ordeal, but then he takes one look at Dr. Latimer and just bolts in his direction. He can’t contain his appreciation and begins showering the veterinarian with tons of wet kisses while hugging him tightly and wagging his tail.
It’s clear that Dr. Latimer made quite an impression on Smokey. Watch their emotional reunion below.
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