Southfield firefighters rescue 2 dogs, 13 puppies from house fire

SOUTHFIELD — At 11:30 p.m. Oct. 5, the Southfield Fire Department was dispatched to a residential structure fire at a single-story home on Spring Arbor Drive, where they located two dogs and 13 puppies inside, relocating the dogs outside the structure.

Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee explained that the residents of the home were not home at the time of the fire and that it was discovered thanks to someone else reporting it. Currently, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Menifee emphasized the importance of ensuring that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working.

“This is a great testimony of someone seeing something. They saw something, they said something and were able to alleviate a tragic moment for a family, protect their animals, as well as their home and so forth, and not have the fire spread any more than it already had when we arrived.”

Menifee said that all 15 animals were OK and did not suffer any injuries due to the fire.

He added that while human life is at the forefront of their work, pet safety is also important to the Southfield Fire Department.

“We do realize that pets are part of the family, and if we can manage that risk, we will do everything we can to try to assist in getting the animals out. Most of the time, the animals find a way out. They get out, but if not, then we are trained, and we do have a veterinarian that we have taken the animals to in the past that have smoke inhalation and so forth, as well as our Animal Warden Division in the city of Southfield.”

Menifee mentioned that many Southfield firefighters are pet owners, so they “feel it personally as well as professionally when something like that happens.”