The UK has a new hero dog since last Sunday. It’s a senior Staffordshire bull terrier that’s currently looking for a new permanent home. Bailey was with her foster carer, Nicola, when he sensed a fire in St. Mellons, Cardiff. Despite the fact that Nicola wasn’t his full-time owner when the senior dog sensed a garden fire, he didn’t hesitate to alert her.
Nicola Jones had no idea that a fire has started raging in a garden neighboring Nicola’s home. It was Sunday afternoon and Nicola had just taken Bailey. However, immediately, she noticed something was off.
At about three o’clock he woke up and started barking and sniffing the air,” she said.
“He seemed anxious and unsettled, which I put down to the change of environment, so even though it was pretty warm outside, I put his lead on, and took him out to walk him in a shady area.
“As we approached the end of the road Bailey stopped dead in his tracks and started barking again.
“He wouldn’t move, wouldn’t budge, and I followed his gaze.
“Imagine my horror when I saw smoke, then what was clearly a fire blazing in someone’s back garden.”
The fire had already consumed a pagoda, a shed, a pergola, some fencing and several bushes.
“I’ll be sad having to take Bailey back to the dogs home this week, but I’m glad I could give him some respite in the hope that he won’t be in kennels much longer” she said.
This story comes at an interesting time, as many people are currently tweeting about the #PetFireSafetyDay – a fairly recent national day that aims to raise awareness about fire risks and pets.
The Friends of the Dogs Wales Facebook page help spread the word about Bailey’s search for a new forever home.
“He’s a senior dog, maybe 12 or 13 years old – he’s hung up his superhero cape and just wants to find somewhere to retire now,” she said.
Also coincidently, a petition against the addition of Staffordshire bull terriers to the Dangerous Dogs Act was debated in Westminster Hall on Monday.