(Photo: Virginia Beach Fire Department)
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia Beach Fire Department is receiving a Compassionate Fire Department Award from PETA after saving a dog’s life.
Firefighters responded to a townhouse in the 300 block of Pratt Court on December 19.
After the homeowner told them her dog was still in the house, firefighter Brad Ramstad ran inside and searched through the heavy smoke until he found the dog. The dog was cowering behind a curtain in the bathroom, uninjured but scared.
Ramstad picked the dog up and carried him outside to safety to his owner.
“I’m just doing the job that any other firefighter would have done,” he said about the rescue. “We’re here for all life.”
“A little dog was spared a horrible death because of this brave firefighter’s commitment to helping anyone in strife, regardless of species,” says PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA is recognizing the Virginia Beach Fire Department for its kindness and quick action, which will hopefully inspire people everywhere to come to the aid of animals in need.”
The fire department will receive a package of the fire-alert stickers, a framed certificate, a box of delicious vegan cookies, and a copy of The Engine 2 Diet—a Texas firefighter’s 28-day plan for staying in prime firefighting shape by eating plant-based meals.
