Being a firefighter is a tough job. Not only is the work grueling and unpredictable, but it can also be emotionally taxing.
When firefighters with the Pueblo Fire Department in Pueblo, Colorado, were called to a house fire, they were relieved to find the human occupants of the home had made it outside. The family pets weren’t so lucky, though.
The fire department shared on Facebook, “The occupants stated that a dog and 2 cats were still inside the home.”
It must’ve been heartbreaking to leave the home while knowing their pets were inside still. They made the right but difficult decision.
The fire crew immediately started a rescue operation. The department wrote, “E-38 started a fast attack as S-81 arrived for a primary search. Coordinated fire attack and search resulted in the dog and 1 cat rescue by 81’s crew.”
After the rescue, the occupants were happily reunited with their pets. Going through a house fire is hard enough without having to deal with the loss of a pet or loved one. I can only imagine the relief they felt when their dog and two cats were safely removed from the home!
“Properly working smoke detectors alerted the residents of danger, and the alarm system placed the call that started the response. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no injuries or damage to exposure was reported. All companies returned to service and Lucy (The Dog) was returned to her owners,” the fire department wrote.
One possibly devastating affect of a house fire is pets being separated from their owners due to housing issues. With a lack of pet-friendly rental options, it can be hard for people to bring their pets along after losing a house. This doesn’t just apply to house fires but to foreclosed homes too.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
