George Rodgers was working in his basement when a fire broke out upstairs. But because of his adopted dog Pedro, he avoided becoming trapped and made it outside with his hero by his side.
Monongahela, Pennsylvania resident George Rodgers was trying to repair a pump in his cellar when his Lab mix Pedro ran downstairs, “barking and making a commotion.”
Trusting his dog, Rodgers followed him upstairs and found that a kerosene heater had started on fire.
“I only left the kerosene heater for a matter of two or three minutes,” Rodgers said. “It went up in flames in a couple minutes. By the time I got up there, I was in a panic trying to get it out.”
By the time firefighters arrived, Rodgers and Pedro had gotten outside. He dragged the heater out with him and tried to put it out.
Monongahela Fire Chief Frank Hnatik said there was smoke and fire damage throughout the house. He praised Pedro for his heroic effort.
“It could have been dangerous,” Hnatik said. “(Rodgers) could have been trapped by the smoke.”
Pedro sustained a slightly singed paw as a result of “walking right through the fire.” Rodgers is eternally grateful for the dog he took in five years ago.
“Today, he turned out to be my best friend,” he said. “If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
