How A Note Stuck On A Wall Saved This 15-Yr-Old Poodle Trapped In The Tai Po Fire
Jason’s barking drew attention, but a handwritten note sealed the rescue.
Hong Kong’s deadliest fire, now claiming 156 lives, delivered one rare moment of hope: The rescue of a 15-year-old poodle named Jason.
A 43-year-old woman named Jacky Lee was not home when the blaze tore through the Tai Po residential complex on November 26, but her senior furkid was trapped alone inside.
She rushed back and tried to enter the burning building, but was stopped by firefighters and police and sent to a temporary shelter to wait.
Around midnight, a district councillor told her the pet search had ended, crushing what little hope she had left.
However, Jacky received a phone call from a firefighter asking if she owns a dog on the 27th floor.
She was then reunited with Jason, first seeing him in the arms of volunteers.
“He was still shaking from afar, but when I called his name, he looked at me, stopped, and then smiled. I almost lost my mind with joy. It felt unreal,” she said.
Jacky says the real heroes were the firefighters and in a post online, shared the text exchange she had with one of them.
The firefighter told her Jason had been barking profusely, trying to get their attention.
“When we heard the sounds and confirmed there was an animal inside, we went in to rescue him,” he wrote over text.
What sealed the rescue was a small note Jacky had stuck on the wall with Jason’s name, allowing firefighters to gently coax him into a carrier.
The firefighter also sent a touching message, writing, "All life is previous. I hope everyone continues to cherish and care for one another".
He also wrote how he called Jason's name a few times, before he slowly walked towards him.
"We were very gentle with him," he wrote.
Jacky later shared on Instagram that the firefighters “didn’t just save my dog, they saved my soul.
Jason is now recovering well. Aside from some mild dehydration, a vet check found he was unaffected by the smog of the fire.
Not every pet was so lucky.
Despite more than 200 animals being saved from the blaze, it was reported that 63 pets did not survive.
Photos: HK01, push_up_b_r_a/IG
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