A family’s worst nightmare became a reality when they were forced to leave their three dogs behind as they fled their home in Los Angeles due to the devastating Palisades wildfires. Fortunately, a brave CBS News team was in the right place at the right time, and they risked their lives to rescue the dogs from the burning house.
Andrea Pasinetti and his wife, Sixuan, were out of state when the wildfires broke out, leaving their three dogs, Alma, Archie, and Hugo, in the care of a dogsitter. However, the dogsitter was unable to reach the house due to the flames, leaving the dogs stranded.
Andrea quickly booked a flight back to Los Angeles, hoping to rescue his pets. Meanwhile, his wife, Sixuan, was watching the news and recognized CBS News reporter Jonathan Vigliotti reporting from Palisades Charter High School, which was near their home. She quickly reached out to him through Twitter, and eventually, they were able to get in touch with Jonathan and his producer, Christian Duran.
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Jonathan and Christian bravely made their way to the Pasinetti’s home, which was on the verge of collapse. They broke into the house, navigating through the smoke and flames to rescue the dogs. The dogs, being rescue animals, were anxious and difficult to capture, but Jonathan and Christian persevered, putting their own safety at risk.
Thanks to their heroic efforts, all three dogs were rescued safely. Andrea was overwhelmed with emotion when he was reunited with his pets, and he expressed his deepest gratitude to Jonathan and Christian for their bravery and kindness.
The Pasinetti family’s home was destroyed in the wildfires, but they are grateful to have their beloved pets safe and sound. The incident has also brought attention to the bravery and selflessness of the firefighters and first responders who risk their lives to save others during natural disasters.
As Andrea reflected on the experience, he said, “I think we go through life accruing so much stuff and curating our belongings, but at the end of the day, it’s all stuff — and while it’s sad to lose, I think the possibility and prospect of losing something much more important just put it into perspective.”
