DELAND, Fla. — Joker, a 6-year-old dog, is expected to be OK after firefighters saved him from a blaze that happened in DeLand on Wednesday morning, according to officials.
- Fire erupts at home on West Fiesta Key Loop in DeLand
- Weimaraner was given oxygen at the scene
- Joker the dog's owner says fire destroyed the home
At about 8:30 a.m., both the DeLand Fire Department and Volusia County Fire Services came to a house on West Fiesta Key Loop as smoke was pouring out of it, DeLand spokesman Chris Graham said in a news release.
As firefighters put out the fire, they also rescued Joker, a Weimaraner, from the home. He was given oxygen at the scene, Graham told Spectrum News 13.
"I’m beyond thankful. I can’t thank them enough," said Renee Dicaro Wonder, Joker's owner. "I owe them my boy. They got him, they got him out. I just am so thankful and I don’t even know how I can begin to thank them enough."
No other injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, Joker is still being cared for at DeLand Animal Hospital. The next two days will be critical for making sure Joker pulls through, Wonder said.
The dog's veterinary bills have soared over $3,000, and several Weimaraner organizations have stepped in to help cover the bills.
"This is our first born; this is my child. The love that I have for my children, I have for my dog," Wonder said. "I don’t care about anything else. I can replace everything, but I can’t replace him."
The city's and state's Fire Marshal Offices are still investigating the cause of the fire, which the Wonder family says may have started in the kitchen while no one was home. The home was left uninhabitable by the fire.
"You know you didn't even realize that community existed and how people you don't even know can just be so loving and just help, and you don’t even know where to begin to pick up the pieces," Wonder said.
If you'd like to help the Wonder family, you can donate to their online crowdfunding page.
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