...
By Liz O'Connell
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A neighbor who had never met the family kicked in the front door after driving past and spotting a house fire, rescuing three dogs in the meantime.
Nearly a year ago, Jackie McKinney went through a gut-wrenching experience when a fire broke out while the family was away. Home at the time were only the three dogs: Annabelle, a 4-year-old Old English sheepdog, Chewpy, a 3-year-old Shih Tzu-poodle mix and Delilah, her blind 13-year-old pit bull.
McKinney told Newsweek via TikTok it took weeks—if not months—for her to fully watch what unfolded on the pet camera in the living room, which she shared to her TikTok account, @jcrazz69, on March 15. The footage shows the dogs pacing anxiously, waiting by the door as smoke fills the home. They appear to sense something is wrong, but with no clear way to escape, they remain trapped inside.
Read More
Couple Find Perfect Shelter Dog, Fall in Love—but There’s a Problem6 min read
Dog That Lost Leg From Rubber Bands on His Paws Needs a New Home4 min read
Daughter Catches Someone Using Stairlift, but It’s Not Her 95-Year-Old Mom3 min read
Moments later, the clip shows a man bursting through the front door and quickly ushering the dogs outside. The rescuer, McKinney later explained, was a neighbor who acted on instinct after noticing smoke while driving past.
...
McKinney said her family lives in the country on a family compound, which makes interactions with neighbors few and far between. This neighbor just happened to be driving past and noticed the fire.
"[He] saw the flames and thought we were home and banged on the door and eventually kicked it in," she said. "We were three hours away and by the time we arrived, the house was completely destroyed but no longer on fire."
All three dogs were examined by a veterinarian after the fire and were given a clean bill of health. But five months later, Delilah passed. McKinney said her liver was failing and she was an "old lady."
The fire ended up destroying every single item in the house, but the family managed to save their dog's urn, who had passed a year before.
McKinney said it was an electrical fire that started on their deck. Squirrels frequented the deck and she believes they ate the wire underneath.
To this day, nearly a year later, she gets sick thinking about how she almost lost her fur babies. Part of her caption reads: "I will forever be grateful to the neighbor who kicked our door open and saved them."
Viewer Reactions
Within three days, the TikTok video amassed nearly 10 million views, 1 million likes and 10,200 comments. Viewers praised the neighbor's quick thinking and bravery while expressing relief that all three dogs survived.
"May your neighbor live the longest, happiest and healthiest life they can possibly live," said one user.
Another commented: "Aw, not them waiting by the door."
A third person wrote: "I just ordered 'In case of emergency, please save our dogs' stickers after watching this. Thank God they were rescued."
Pet Fire Safety
House fires can escalate quickly, leaving pets especially vulnerable when no one is home to help them escape. Fire safety experts say planning is key to reducing risks and helping first responders act fast when animals are trapped inside.
As part of that preparation, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends using pet rescue alert window stickers near entrances so firefighters know animals are inside and how many to look for. It's important to install working smoke alarms, particularly monitored or smart detectors that can alert emergency services when no one is home. Always ensure an emergency plan is in place and practice those routines with pets.
To prevent fires, owners should keep animals out of rooms where they might start one accidentally, which may involve stove knobs, loose wires, candles or fireplaces.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines