The wildfires that hit LA early last year were devastating and widespread. The only thing comparable to the physical destruction was the emotional turmoil endured by those who lost their homes and life’s-worth of belongings. And speaking of turmoil, one of the more harrowing subsets of survival stories was how animals were faring in the upheaval. We heard so many reports of family pets worriedly standing their ground at homes no longer standing, and accounts of families/persons making the difficult decision to surrender their pet to a shelter. Though bolstered by knowing it was the right thing to do for their pet, I can’t imagine how gutting those moments were. Even if the plan/hope was for the move to be temporary, the humans wouldn’t know how long it would take to land on their two feet, while the loyal floofs couldn’t know what on earth was going on and wait a minute surely everything is better when our pack stays together, yes my wonderful person??

So here’s one happy tail: after lab mix Blade spent 15 months hanging at the Pasadena Humane Animal Shelter, his person Dominic was finally able to pick up his four-legged child and bring him to their new home.

After safely escaping the terrifying Eaton fire together in January 2025, Altadena resident Dominic brought his dog, Blade, into the Pasadena Humane animal shelter for emergency boarding for his pet.

Fifteen months later, they finally got to go to a new home as a pair.

“So many others were also in Dominic’s shoes, suddenly displaced and looking for a new place to live — and often left with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” Pasadena Humane explained on Facebook.

The animal shelter continued, “Blade was one of many pets who stayed in our care for months, and some for over a year, as we committed to supporting our community in the aftermath of the blaze.”

Before the reunion with his owner, Blade received loving care.

“We made sure Blade got lots of playtime, ample enrichment and a ton of love,” Pasadena Humane wrote. “The cuddly lab mix … snuggled with our call center staff on a regular basis. He went for walks with our volunteers every day, visited our Shelter Shop for tasty snacks and often participated in his favorite activity, ripping up cardboard boxes.

Then, in April 2026, Dominic returned to pick up Blade for good.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as Dominic and Blade were reunited, and we had never seen Blade happier as his eyes lit up at the sight of his dad,” the animal shelter recalled. “Dominic hugged and thanked our staff and volunteers who cared for his beloved pup, with Blade even squeezing into the middle of one hug just to be a part of it.”

Pasadena Humane also said, “We were so incredibly happy to see Dominic and Blade walk out together, ready to start their new life” in their new home, adding that “not the home they had once shared together, but a new place, ready for them to create new memories.”

[From People]

Heart. Full. Can’t. Take IT!!! My tail is wagging so fiercely I’m about to take flight! Oh boy, what a good boy Blade is. I love that it sounds like he really chose to make the best of the situation he found himself in. Sure, the only natural place he belongs in the world is with his person papa Dominic, but that doesn’t mean he can’t accept the love and adoration of the people he’s currently hanging with! That doesn’t mean he can’t enlist himself to be the call center mascot! It’s just benevolence — why should Blade deny others his joy? And then when person papa Dominic did return, Blade unleashed (dog pun!) his full, unbridled, ecstatic euphoria that HIS PERSON was BACK. You can see it written all over Blade’s face in the photos Pasadena Humane posted on their Facebook, as well as the quieter, more overwhelmed state of Dominic. It took time, but they made it back to each other.

Thank you to Pasadena Humane, and all the shelters caring for wonderful floofs until reunions like this are possible. Also, thanks Pasadena Humane for including the detail about Blade’s favorite activity being “ripping up cardboard boxes.” That bit touched me, as I myself am the proud mama of My Guy, whose dedicated hobby is peeing on plastic bags. He’s an environmentalist!