Firefighters Reunite With Milo, the Dog They Revived After a Pasadena House Fire

Firefighters from three departments reunited Monday with Milo, the 6-year-old Sheltie they carried unconscious and soot-stained out of a burning Pasadena home last week.

The ‘close call with a happy ending’ began Sept. 9 in the 400 block of Michillinda Ave., where crews forced their way into a one-story house filling with smoke and found the dog unconscious and unresponsive.

Pasadena Fire Department units were dispatched at 1:09 p.m. that Wednesday, with the Arcadia and Sierra Madre fire departments also responding, according to the department’s incident report.

The first engine arrived at 1:14 p.m., about four minutes after dispatch, and crews found smoke coming from the attic. Crews worked quickly on the 104-degree heatwave day.

A 911 caller reported hearing a dog barking inside, ABC7 reported, and no one but home.

Sierra Madre firefighter Jessica Johnson found Milo hiding under a table in thick black smoke and carried him out, ABC7 reported.

Johnson, a dog owner herself, told the station she could barely see him and that “you could feel how limp he was.”

Pasadena firefighters said Milo had been inside for at least eight minutes and that any additional time could have led to a different outcome. Crews administered oxygen and resuscitated him, and about five minutes passed before he regained consciousness.

The Rapid Intervention crew began resuscitation measures once the dog was out of the house.

Pasadena Humane Animal Control was called to assist, and by the time its personnel arrived the dog had been revived and was alert.

The homeowner later arrived and took possession of him.

Department officials said the incident serves as a reminder for pet owners to post a sign near the front door indicating how many pets are inside.

The fire was contained to contents in a rear bedroom, according to Lisa Derderian, the city’s chief communications officer.

Milo’s owner, identified as Leticia, thanked the firefighters at the reunion and said she was grateful to them for acting as quickly as they did.

Milo is recovering and doing well, according to his family. He has a slight cough, but his veterinarian expects him to be fine, they said, and a follow-up checkup is scheduled for Thursday. Milo has gone back to running and playing.