The incredible story behind this dog who refused to leave fire-ravaged home
A loyal dog has guarded the remains of a burnt down home after it was torched by wildfires in Northern California.
Madison, a male Anatolian shepherd mix, guarded the remains of a burned property for weeks after his owner, Andrea Gaylord, fled the town of Paradise on November 8 to get away from the fire.
The blaze killed more than 85 people, 249 people are unaccounted for and almost 19,000 buildings have been destroyed.
Amid the chaos, Madison, brother Miguel and the Gaylord family became separated.
But Ms Gaylord did not give up hope.
She called Shayla Sullivan, who works with K9 Paw Print Rescue, to go searching for the two dogs.
Ms Sullivan wrote on Facebook she left food and water at Ms Gaylord’s home for Madison for almost a month.
He had been sighted a few times deep in the canyon below the home but “took his job seriously and wasn’t going to be an easy catch”.
She found Miguel at a shelter about 135km away and returned him to Ms Gaylord.
“After meeting Andrea in person when I took Miguel to her, I had the idea of placing an article of clothing that would smell like her to keep Madison’s hope alive until his people could return,” Ms Sullivan wrote on Facebook.
When Ms Gaylord returned to her home on Wednesday to inspect the damage she found her loyal pooch waiting.
Pictures shared on the K9 Paw Print Rescue’s Facebook page show Madison sitting among the burned-down wreckage of his home followed by his realisation his owners had returned.
“Madison was waiting for them as if he were protecting his former home,” the shelter wrote.
“Never give up.”
Ms Gaylord told ABC 10 she was thrilled to be reunited with Madison.
“Imagine the loyalty of hanging in in the worst of circumstances and being here waiting,” Ms Gaylord said.
“You could never ask for a better animal.”
She added “it’s a comforting feeling” to know their dogs were that protective of the family home.
