At a private hospice in Leningrad, Russia, a fire suddenly broke out, endangering four patients inside. Although the fire department responded quickly and managed to extinguish the flames with only a few minor injuries, one rescuer stood out among the chaos: a pregnant dog named Matilda.
Matilda is the clinic owner’s beloved pet and will soon be a mother. Her pregnancy didn’t stop her from stepping forward to help people trapped in the burning hospice. Seeing the fire, she ran inside, activated the fire alarm, barked frantically, and alerted the people inside. Thanks to her quick thinking, firefighters were called to the scene and the patients were evacuated in time.
The four patients were lucky and only suffered minor injuries. However, Matilda’s heroic act had consequences for her. She inhaled too many carbon monoxide fumes and passed out in the building. Matilda couldn’t get out in time. Fortunately, two hospice volunteers, Elena Kalinina and Alexander Tsikevich, found her unconscious and managed to rescue her from the burning building. She was rushed to a veterinarian for treatment.
Matilda survived with the help of these kind-hearted volunteers, but her abdomen, neck and face were severely burned. She was suffering, crying and shaking. She was taken to the Vasilek shelter in St. Petersburg, where a veterinarian cleaned her wounds and her face and ears had to be covered with bandages due to the severity of the burns on her chest, abdomen and extremities.
Fortunately, Matilda’s unborn puppies are doing well despite their injuries. She is scheduled to give birth between November 25 and 28, but the exact number of puppies will not be known until after delivery, as she is a large dog. Due to the burns, Matilda will not be able to breastfeed her puppies, so the hospice staff is looking for a surrogate mother to care for her babies. Additionally, Matilda’s owner was also injured in the fire and will not be able to care for her until she recovers.
Matilda’s bravery during the fire has touched the hearts of many and shown the heroic nature of animals. Her story continues to inspire us and remind us of the extraordinary bonds we share with our loyal canine companions.