Man goes looking for his dog that went missing during wildfires – then he finds her in ashes

In times of crisis, moments of hope and perseverance often shine the brightest. One such moment came after the devastating wildfire in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, when a local resident had an emotional reunion with his dog, Oreo, who had gone missing during the disaster. As reported by NBC News, Casey Colvin's determination to find his pet in the midst of destruction became a symbol of hope.

When the wildfire broke out, Colvin was not home, and he was forced to evacuate without his two rescue dogs, Oreo and Tika Tika Tika. A firefighter was able to rescue Tika Tika Tika, but Oreo was nowhere to be found. Colvin, devastated by the separation, feared the worst. NBC News correspondent Liz Kreutz, who covered the story, recalled meeting Colvin on the first day of the fire, as he tried desperately to return to his house to save his dogs. “He was in distress trying to get back to his home in the Palisades to get his two dogs,” Kreutz shared, capturing the heartbreak of a man torn between the flames and his pets.

Days passed without any sign of Oreo, but Colvin refused to give up. On January 12, he received a tip that Oreo had been spotted near a neighbor’s house. With the help of a professional dog trapper, Colvin rushed to the location. In a heart-stopping moment, Oreo appeared, running into Colvin’s arms as he cried with relief. "Oh my God! You’re alive!" Colvin exclaimed, holding his dog tight. The reunion was captured in an emotional video shared by Kreutz on social media, which quickly went viral. As Kreutz described, it was “an incredible moment and bright spot in such a devastating time.”

Colvin’s unwavering hope and the support of others made the reunion possible. After losing contact with his dogs, Colvin used an AirTag to track Oreo's movements. With help from friends and community members who spread the word, they finally found the dog hiding near a neighbor’s home. “The moment he saw Casey, he came running,” Kreutz said. The scene was one of pure joy, offering a small moment of peace amidst the tragedy.

As reported by CNN, since the wildfires started on January 7, the Pasadena Humane Society has rescued over 610 animals, offering them a safe place to stay. Many people were forced to evacuate their homes and had to leave their pets and livestock behind. The organization has worked tirelessly to help these animals, feeding those left behind and taking them in as they were found. The efforts to rescue and care for these animals offered a glimmer of hope amid the devastation of the fires.