Mina, pregnant pit bull rescued from Woodbridge fire, thanks her heroes

Family dog pulled unconscious from basement fire visits firefighters

Yorkregion.com
June 9, 2018
Lisa Queen

The last time Mina’s heroes saw the pregnant pit bull, emergency crews were using an animal ventilation mask to revive her after rescuing the family dog from a burning basement in Vaughan the night of June 5.

That night, Mina’s “mom” and her daughter brought their dog to thank firefighters at the station located at Hwy. 7 and Martin Grove Road.

Capt. Matthew Kenney was at the fire hall to welcome Mina and her owners, although he and his crew weren’t on duty the night of the fire.

“It was very nice that they came over to the hall. A lot of times you see something, a medical call or whatever, and moving forth, it’s nice to see the aftermath of what happened. The people coming and thanking us, that was very nice of them,” he said, adding he gave the family a tour of the fire hall.

“It made everyone feel very good. It’s nice to see the daughter’s happy in regards to her dog. The mom’s happy. Everyone’s happy. The dog’s doing better. It’s a good feeling for everybody.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Kenney said.

At about 8:50 p.m. June 5, many residents in the area called 911 to report the fire at 7810 Kipling Ave. north of Hwy. 7 in Woodbridge.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find flames coming from basement windows and thick smoke pouring from the two-storey home.

After firefighters discovered Mina unconscious in the basement, they rushed her limp body outside so emergency crews could revive her.

Mina was then taken to a vet.

Unfortunately, three cats in the house died.

No people were injured in the fire, which caused about $100,000 damage.

Saving Mina but not being able to rescue the cats is an emotional experience, Chief Deryn Rizzi said.

“We are very relieved to see that Mina is healthy and happy. Losing a beloved pet is often an emotionally devastating experience. Losing a pet can leave significant voids in our life that we need to fill,” she said.

“It can change our daily routines, causing ripple effects that go far beyond the loss of the actual animal. The family did experience the loss of three cats and VFRS (Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service) offers our condolences.”