Sparky’s Remarkable Journey from Fire to Forever Home

In the early hours of Memorial Day, Pasadena Humane got a call from the scene of a house fire by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. After extinguishing the blaze, firefighters found a scared dog in the back yard of the house. Animal Control Officer Jake Robles met the firefighters and brought the dog back to the shelter.

It was clear right away that the dog had been through a lot, and not limited to the house fire. The eight-year-old pit bull mix had an old injury to one of this front legs that the shelter veterinarian thought was the result of an old injury; perhaps a broken wrist that had healed misaligned. He had other bumps and bruises, but his spirit was not broken. He happily wagged his tail and would nudge his head into unsuspecting laps- basking in the attention of the team providing him with care.

Shelter officials were confident that the dog could be reunited with his people. Unfortunately, the home had been abandoned, and no owner came forward to reclaim the dog. After his hold period ended, staff at the shelter affectionately named him Sparky due to his lively personality and spunkiness despite his age and prior injuries.

A month went by, and still no one came forward to reclaim Sparky. He became a favorite of the Pasadena Humane volunteers and staff. He went on multiple walks, an overnight sleepover with a staff member, and even a field trip to visit with the firefighters who saved him from the fire. He seemed to recognize them and greeted everyone with his trademark tail wag while he posed for pictures at the fire station.

One day in early July, after waiting at the shelter for well over a month, someone saw Sparky’s story on the local news and was moved by his plight, came to Pasadena Humane the next day and took Sparky home. The happy ending that we had all hoped for Sparky was finally achieved- he had found his forever home!

It will never be known how Sparky ended up in the back yard of an abandoned home, but we are all thankful that like a phoenix rising from the ashes, his new happy life has begun.