Milo the Sheltie Reunites With Pasadena Firefighters Who Pulled Him From a House Fire
After smoke inhalation left him unconscious inside a Pasadena home, six-year-old Milo was revived with an animal oxygen mask—and days later thanked his rescuers with custom smiling-Milo shirts.
Six-year-old Sheltie Milo almost didn’t make it out of his Pasadena home. On September 9, 2026, a passing delivery driver spotted smoke pouring from a house on Michillinda Avenue, heard a dog barking inside, and dialed 911—setting off a multi-agency rescue that local crews and the family are still talking about.
Firefighters from the Pasadena, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre departments raced to the scene while Milo’s people were away. Ring cameras captured crews forcing entry. Inside, thick black smoke had already gone quiet: no more barking.
A first house-fire call—and a dog under the table
Sierra Madre firefighter Jessica Johnson, in only her second year on the job, was on her first active house-fire assignment. Following her captain’s orders and using a thermal imaging camera, she re-entered the smoke-filled living room three times before catching a glimpse of Milo under a table near a window.
“I barely could see him. I just kind of picked him up, brought him outside, and realized you could feel how limp he was,” Johnson later told ABC7.
Pasadena firefighters estimated Milo had been trapped for at least eight minutes. Any longer, they said, and the outcome might have been different.
Five minutes on an animal oxygen mask
Outside, crews fitted Milo with a specialized animal oxygen mask and began resuscitation. Roughly five minutes later, the limp Sheltie rolled over—dirty, dusty, and suddenly very much alive. His family, rushing home in panic, found a dog who had gone from the brink back toward his usual self.
Milo was evaluated after the rescue and is recovering at home. He still has a slight cough, but his veterinarian expects a full recovery; a follow-up checkup was scheduled, and he’s already back to running and playing, according to coverage from ABC7 and Pet Rescue Report.
Custom Milo shirts and a Monday reunion
On Monday, September 14, Milo reunited with the firefighters who saved him. Owners Leticia and Fernando thanked the crews and handed out custom T-shirts featuring a smiling Milo—a small, joyful thank-you after a terrifying week. The family will be out of their home for months of repairs, but they are grateful to be whole.
“I’m forever, forever grateful. They’re truly heroes,” Leticia said.
A simple pet-safety reminder from the firehouse
Pasadena Fire officials used the incident to urge pet parents to post a visible sign near the front door noting how many animals live inside—information that can speed a search when every minute counts. For more seasonal hazard checklists, see our autumn dog safety guide, and browse more rescue stories of dogs who got a second chance—including recent before-and-after transformations.
Milo’s story is a reminder of both first-responder grit and how quickly smoke can silence even a vigilant Sheltie bark. Today he’s home, healing, and—thanks to a delivery driver’s 911 call and a firefighter who wouldn’t stop searching—still part of the pack.