Heartbreaking: Hero Dog Saves Owner from Apartment Fire, Now Desperately Needs a New Home!
A man from Johnstown, New York, is desperately searching for a new home for his dog after a devastating fire destroyed their apartment.
Nicholas Dayter, the dog’s owner, shared that due to the fire and its aftermath, he is no longer able to keep his beloved companion, Natara.
Unfortunately, with local shelters at full capacity, Nicholas faces an even more challenging situation. But Natara is not just any ordinary dog.
Natara, a one-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, is playful and energetic and loves to chase sticks in the yard. However, what sets her apart from other dogs is her incredible bravery and quick instincts, which saved Nicholas’s life and the lives of others.
In June, a fire broke out in Nicholas’s apartment building at 97 Clinton Street in Albany.
Natara first noticed the fire, and her actions may have saved those inside. “She’s my hero dog,” Nicholas shared.
According to Nicholas, Natara alerted him to the fire. She started banging her head against the door, waking everyone in the apartment. When Nicholas opened the door to see what was going on, he was met with a rush of smoke pouring from his bedroom.
Natara continued banging on the bedroom doors to alert the other residents, all while barking urgently to wake them up. Her determination to warn everyone helped prevent what could have been a terrible tragedy.
“I think without Natara, we would’ve all died in that building,” Nicholas said, reflecting on how lucky they were to have her.
The fire forced Nicholas to jump out of the window of his apartment to escape. When Natara made it out, she was covered in black smoke and struggling to breathe.
Nicholas immediately used the money he received from the Red Cross to get her the medical attention she needed.
Despite her heroic actions and their bond, Nicholas is now faced with the heartbreaking decision to find Natara a new home.
After the fire, Nicholas’s financial situation has made it impossible for him to continue caring for her, even though he wishes he could.
Nicholas has contacted numerous local shelters, including the Albany County Humane Society, Fulton County Regional SPCA, and others in Saratoga, Clifton Park, and Malta. Still, all of them have said they’re at full capacity and unable to take in any more dogs.
“They told me they’re at capacity and aren’t taking any more dogs,” Nicholas said, frustration and sadness evident in his voice.
Renee Earl, the President of the Fulton County Regional SPCA, explained that her shelter, like many others in the area, has been at capacity for years due to limited space.
With only eight kennels available, it is constantly full. Currently, 15 dogs are waiting to be adopted, along with dozens more on the waiting list.
“Unfortunately, we don’t move up the list very quickly,” Renee shared. She added that the issue of full shelters is widespread, and many in the area are dealing with the same problem.
Lack of funding and limited space are major challenges for these shelters, making it difficult for them to accept more animals.
Renee believes that fostering is one of the most effective ways to help rescue groups like hers. “Fostering is huge for rescue groups.
Even if you can’t take in an animal permanently, offering a temporary home while it looks for its forever family is a big help,” she said.
Nicholas hopes someone will step forward and offer Natara the loving home she deserves. The trauma of the fire and the difficult decision to let her have taken an emotional toll on him. Despite his sadness, Nicholas knows it’s in Natara’s best interest to find a stable and loving environment where she can be happy and safe.
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“It hurts because I wanted to keep her until she got old,” Nicholas said. “But as much as I love her, I’d rather give her a good home where she can be loved and not have to go through anything like this again.”