Heroic Dog and Caring Neighbors Help Spokane Woman Find Safety During Wildfire
In the wake of the Old Trails Fire in Spokane, Washington, stories of courage, compassion, and community support are offering hope to those facing a long recovery.
The fire is now fully contained, but its impact will be felt for years. Among the residents who lost their homes was Donna Carberry, whose survival was made possible by her devoted three-year-old German Shepherd, Shadow.
Carberry had no idea that flames had reached her property. Because she had lost her sense of smell as a lingering effect of COVID-19, she could not detect the smoke. Shadow, however, recognized the danger and tried urgently to get her attention.
“He kept trying to tell me nicely, and I wasn’t getting it,” Carberry said of Shadow.
When his initial warnings did not work, Shadow began throwing his body against the back door. His persistence finally prompted Carberry to investigate.
“By the time I got there and I opened the door up, my barn had already burned down,” she said.
The flames were climbing the back steps and burning the side of the house. Thanks to Shadow’s determination, Carberry had time to act.
“He literally saved my life,” Carberry said.
Shadow’s help did not end there. As Carberry prepared to evacuate, she struggled to catch her cat, Socksy. Shadow gently placed a paw on the cat, allowing Carberry to pick Socksy up and carry him out of the house.
Outside, the fire’s devastation was even clearer.
“Everything was on fire,” she said. “My truck and horse trailer burned up in the driveway ‘cause there was no time.”
Nearby residents noticed Carberry and her animals trying to escape and immediately stepped in. The neighbors helped them reach a safer location along Trails Road.
“They took me over to Trails Road and sat me and the kitty and my puppy on the side of the road,” she recounted. “And it was, of course, just pandemonium.”
Carberry remained there, waiting for the danger to pass. Eventually, a woman evacuating horses stopped and asked how long she had been sitting by the road.
“I said, ‘since noon on Saturday,’” Carberry said. “And she said, ‘Honey, it’s 8:00 on Sunday night.’”
The woman welcomed Carberry, Shadow, and Socksy into her truck and drove them to a Red Cross relief center.
During the hurried evacuation, Carberry had fallen and sustained injuries that required medical care. Her recovery left her temporarily reliant on a wheelchair and unable to look after her animals by herself. Once again, caring people were ready to help.
A neighbor took in Socksy, while Best Friends Animal Society, which was assisting at the relief center, arranged a safe place for Shadow. The nonprofit was leading the companion-animal response for the Washington State Pet Task Force and ensured that Shadow would receive any veterinary care he needed.
Best Friends Animal Society also helped Carberry and Shadow find secure temporary housing as they began the process of rebuilding their lives.
“Best friends stepped up and stepped in and started taking care of Shadow for me,” Carberry said in a video for the organization.
“By … taking care of him, you’re taking care of me.”
Although Carberry lost many possessions in the fire, her deepest gratitude is for the loyal companion who protected her and helped save Socksy.
“I don’t care about my stuff,” she added. “I just care about [Shadow].”
Through Shadow’s bravery and the generosity of neighbors, strangers, relief workers, and animal-welfare volunteers, Carberry and her beloved pets found safety, care, and a hopeful path forward.
