Paradise, CA homeowner Andrea Gaylord was forced to evacuate last month before the Camp Fire swept through her neighborhood. Unable return home to fetch her dog, Madison, Gaylord had to leave him behind and pray for the best. With the evacuation order lifted this week, she returned to discover what remained of her earthly possessions. Standing guard over the ruins was her most loyal companion. Here
They left TWO dogs behind.
What was in the car that HAD to go with them instead of the dogs?
Why would you, nah, forget it.
I have to leave this thread before I start cussing.
He had faith that they would return for him. Most PEOPLE would have given up long ago.
Mary Jane: I gathered from the story they were away from home when the evacuation order came, and they could not go home before they left the area.
“Paradise, CA homeowner Andrea Gaylord was forced to evacuate last month before the Camp Fire swept through her neighborhood.”
I agree with MJA. A pet is a part of our family-loyal trustworthy and always there when we hurt. Leave other stuff behind that can be replaced. They had a month before they had to leave. Guess their stuff was more important than a friend. 🙁
From the story it seemed the owner wasn’t able to get back to the house to evac the dog. I had the impression that Madison has a sibling who belong to a sister or daughter who made it out with her owner.
Pretty amazing Madison didn’t stray and stayed at what was left of his home. I don’t know of many dogs that would do this.
That’s a very rural mountainous little town. Most of those outlying properties don’t have fenced yards. A lot of those dogs roam. That mutt not have been that easy to find in a hurry.
On the other hand, I think if I had a raging fire in the hood, I’d be keeping my pets close.
The more people I meet, the more I like dogs
Good dog.
We don’t deserve dogs.
I pray to be the person my dog believes that I am.
Hear our humble prayer, oh God for our friends the animals, especially animals who are suffering, for any that are hunted or lost or frightend or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask heart of compassion, gentle hands, and soft words. Make us ourselves to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful
Albert Switzer
Exactly MJA. If you have a month to evacuate, that’s plenty of time to make plans to relocate your pets. It just seems abusive to leave such loving, loyal beings to survive or not on their own. Either the facts of the story are off or the family didn’t consider the approaching massive fire serious enough.
99th
No. The entire town was told they were safe. They even held school that day. Winds shifted, some reports are of this fire moving, consuming fuel, at a rate of 60 mph. In short, they were ran over with zero time. That’s why there’s 84 people that are now nothing more than charred bones.
Sorry Bad_Brad, read a part of the story wrong – they may not have had a month, it happened quickly last month. I did keep up with the news. Still, they should have made room for their pets or made arrangements. What a sweet “puppy”. I could never leave a great dog in that horrible situation.
Here is another story about Paradise By Gerard at American Digest.
There are more stories that he is starting to write about that day. Scroll down for more. A very good friend who lost everything,and is now rebuilding his life at 72.
http://americandigest.org/wp/the-woman-who-drove-her-school-bus-through-the-tunnel-of-fire/ ….
99th
No doubt. We have two yellow labs and they rate right up there with our kids Don’t tell the kids that. LOL
Read Geoff’s link. It’s actually surprising more people didn’t die.
What bred is Madison? He doesn’t quite look like a yellow lab, perhaps more of a Great Pyrenees?
Good grief, there’s a happy ending and people are bitching. Get a grip. You weren’t there, and unless you know just exactly what happened shut your pie holes.
Who’s a good boy?
Dr. Tar, I agree, but he’s definitely got some lab in him.
And you know labs, the enjoy recreation with many breeds.
I don’t think some of you realize just exactly how bad and how quickly it became a complete nightmare. My sister got out with the clothes on her back and her dogs. The two feral cats she made houses for and fed were no where around. My niece got out with the clothes on her back and her dog and cat. My brother has no pets. He managed to save his wife, son and one of his drum sets. It was total pandemonium and terror. Sure, some people are assholes, but I believe most people that didn’t get their pets out feel really bad about it.
God, I love dogs.
Another heart-warming story of loyalty, bravery, grace, coming out of Paradise.
As Rottylover says, so many got out with less stuff than you and I have stowed in our cars on an ordinary day. Van der Luen had a library of over 3000 books and managed to end up with Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy only because it was already in his car. For a man who reads and writes, that was his greatest loss. Oh, and he grabbed Olive (Olivia), his new editorial assistant, and jammed her in her crate. One towel, a back-up drive, a cat and a so-so book. Life is good.
Some here may say “why didn’t they take the dog?” Most barely got out with their lives, many tried to get out and didn’t make it, and many died getting out but the car got burned in the process. I live here, I have heard many of the horror stories from people who didn’t make it on the news to tell what happened. Every day I meet a new evacuee, today it was a woman who made it out with only her dogs and nothing else. They’re going to rebuild, but not in Paradise. We think we know what we’re going to do if and when it happens to us, with flames coming at you at 150 mph what are you going to do…probably the opposite just to save your ass.
P.S. We packed up and left, spent the night at the airport in our car. It was grueling until I thought about those people who had to do it day and night for days. They are tough people, that’s why they made it out alive. Our house is still standing, and I’m grateful.
I just don’t get it folks. You have a fire storm coming at you at 60 miles per hour and all of you would turn back and go get your dog. Not a chance in hell I would turn my car around and burn my whole family to death,for a dog.
You all need to read some stories on how fast wild fires move, and radiant heat, a forest fire can move down one side of a ridge and ignite a hill side across a whole valley miles wide.
Read The Big Burn. It is was started the Forest Service being able to fight fires.
Goldenfoxx do you live off of the Skyway or off of Clark, Pence Road or east of the city?
AA and I know Paradise and the next time we are down there to visit Gerard we love to meet up.
Geoff C. The Saltine
She’s in Oroville.
Geoff C. The Saltine Near Berry Creek.
Thanks BB, Hope all is well with you and the family.
Talk to you later.
Geoff
Thanks pal, same with you.
these people were told they COULD NOT GO HOME…..
THERE WERE ROADBLOCKS …..
they did not choose to leave their dog behind, they were prevented BY THE GOVERNMENT from going home to get their dog….
i am seriously peaced off by the people who keep saying “they left the dog behind”…..what would YOU do?
you ready to ram through an armed roadblock to go home and get your dog????
this is what these people have to deal with….it’s CALIFORNIA, remember?????..
in california, the government is ALL CAPS….it’s THE GOVERNMENT…
and NOBODY argues with it, anymore…..so when they tell you you CANNOT GO HOME AND GET YOUR DOG, guess what???
YOU CANNOT GO HOME AND GET YOUR DOG….
nevertheless, we have fox news hosts and various websites demanding we condemn this unfortunate family for “abandoning” their dog to the fire….
the government would not let them go home and get their dog….
the government will not let YOU go home and save YOUR pets, next time….
you sure you want to give them this power???
you are all anxious to shovel shame onto this
family, while they have lost just about everything….
the ONE thing they managed to salvage, was the dog….and yet, you use THE DOG to trash them….
i don’t want y’all to get burned down…..so be careful….
i got smoke in my bloodline….as in …
I WON”T BE THE LAST WITCH IN MY FAMILY…….
i wish only the best for this very blessed family, who managed to find their dog alive, a very RARE thing among the fire casualties of paradise…..
the rest of you haters who condemn people for doing what they HAD to do, regardless of what they WANTED to do…..well, yeah…..you can go suck lemons…..because i can’t actually tell you what i want to tell you to do…..
but you KNOW what i mean……