redsaid
December 2nd, 2010, 12:40 PM
CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. -- Five weeks of separation ended Wednesday afternoon when a dog owner was reunited with his beloved pit bull Diamond, the family pet being credited for saving the man and his two daughters from an October house fire in Hayward.
The reunion took place as Diamond was finally discharged from Eden Pet Hospital in Castro Valley. Darryl Steen last saw his dog on the night a fire left the single father and his two daughters homeless.
“[She] saved my family. I owe her everything,” said Steen as he petted Diamond affectionately. “I owe this dog everything.”
Steen told KTVU that one-year-old Diamond is generally a quiet dog that rarely barks. But on October 24th at around 1:30 a.m., the dog owner was woken up by the pit bull’s loud barking.
“I wanted to know what she was barking at,” remembered Steen. “I go into the living room and my whole living room was engulfed in flames.”
Steen said he and his family escaped with only the clothes on their backs. They were rushed to the hospital for burns and smoke inhalation.
She suffered serious injuries including nerve damage to one leg and burns to 30 percent of her body.
If you go to the link you can see the vid. The burns on poor 'Diamond's' body that brought me to tears this mornin'. Poor sweet baby.
“She will have permanent scarring, so that will be her badge of honor,” said Eden Pet Hospital’s Dr. Lori Dabaco. “She has sort of become a mascot for everybody.”
Diamond was expected to make a full recovery.
The bill for Diamond's medical care came to more than $5,500. Steen told KTVU his own injuries from the fire -- third degree burns to this his back, arms and foot -- kept him in the hospital until two weeks ago. The injuries will also prevent him from returning to work as a forklift driver for two months.
“I have to buy everything all over again ‘cause I lost everything,” said Steen.
The Hayward Animal Shelter is accepting donations to help Steen pay off Diamond's medical bills. Steen is looking for a new home to rent that will allow him to keep Diamond.
“You're a superstar,” Steen told Diamond as they walked out of Eden Pet Hospital to his car. “You're a hero.”
Steen said there was no way he would be separated from his precious Diamond again after all they had been through.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/25986606/detail.html
What a great story! I love happy endings. Right on Diaomnd the pit! She's a pit, and is most definatly a hero no matter what race she is!
The reunion took place as Diamond was finally discharged from Eden Pet Hospital in Castro Valley. Darryl Steen last saw his dog on the night a fire left the single father and his two daughters homeless.
“[She] saved my family. I owe her everything,” said Steen as he petted Diamond affectionately. “I owe this dog everything.”
Steen told KTVU that one-year-old Diamond is generally a quiet dog that rarely barks. But on October 24th at around 1:30 a.m., the dog owner was woken up by the pit bull’s loud barking.
“I wanted to know what she was barking at,” remembered Steen. “I go into the living room and my whole living room was engulfed in flames.”
Steen said he and his family escaped with only the clothes on their backs. They were rushed to the hospital for burns and smoke inhalation.
She suffered serious injuries including nerve damage to one leg and burns to 30 percent of her body.
If you go to the link you can see the vid. The burns on poor 'Diamond's' body that brought me to tears this mornin'. Poor sweet baby.
“She will have permanent scarring, so that will be her badge of honor,” said Eden Pet Hospital’s Dr. Lori Dabaco. “She has sort of become a mascot for everybody.”
Diamond was expected to make a full recovery.
The bill for Diamond's medical care came to more than $5,500. Steen told KTVU his own injuries from the fire -- third degree burns to this his back, arms and foot -- kept him in the hospital until two weeks ago. The injuries will also prevent him from returning to work as a forklift driver for two months.
“I have to buy everything all over again ‘cause I lost everything,” said Steen.
The Hayward Animal Shelter is accepting donations to help Steen pay off Diamond's medical bills. Steen is looking for a new home to rent that will allow him to keep Diamond.
“You're a superstar,” Steen told Diamond as they walked out of Eden Pet Hospital to his car. “You're a hero.”
Steen said there was no way he would be separated from his precious Diamond again after all they had been through.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/25986606/detail.html
What a great story! I love happy endings. Right on Diaomnd the pit! She's a pit, and is most definatly a hero no matter what race she is!