Lucy, a 6-year-old Labrador retriever in Westport, Massachusetts, is back home with her family after surviving 40 minutes inside a house fire.
As her family begins what they say will be a months-long recovery, Lucy's survival is also fueling a call for fire departments to carry more oxygen masks for pets.
Here's what to know
On Sept. 16, a fire at the home of Lucy's owner, Jim Acierno, trapped Lucy and Acierno's two cats inside. WJAR reported that firefighters rescued Lucy about 40 minutes later and brought her to a veterinarian, where she stayed for more than a week of treatment.
Acierno described the moment she was found, "Lucy was, head lulled over, tongue hanging out." He also recalled the panic during the fire, "I just kept on screaming. I want my dog. Everything else doesn't matter."
According to Acierno, Lucy is now home again and back to walking, eating, and wagging her tail.
He said the turnaround came after difficult days at the veterinary hospital: "We'd go visit her, she wouldn't eat, we'd bring her favorite food, nothing. And then all of a sudden, she got better."
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WJAR did not report the health status of the two cats also affected by the fire.
More background
Her recovery remains intensive. Lucy suffered lung damage and other major health issues from smoke exposure, and she still coughs and gets tired easily. She now receives an hour of care twice a day, including eye treatment and chest percussion, a technique used to help loosen congestion.
The emotional toll on the family has remained high since the fire. Acierno said he could face losing the house, but not losing Lucy: "I can deal with losing my house. I couldn't deal with that if I didn't have her."
What can be done?
A GoFundMe to help cover Lucy's veterinary expenses has raised more than $16,000, WJAR reported.
Acierno has urged people to donate pet-specific oxygen masks to fire departments, saying that equipment could help other animals survive.
For Acierno, the goal is not only for Lucy to survive the fire, but for her to enjoy life afterward. "And as long as she's comfortable and as long as she can have a good life, then I'm happy."
Where can I learn more?
Lucy's story is one of many close calls involving pets and fire.
• Firefighters pulled a small dog from a basement bedroom fire and gave it oxygen.
• In Utah, crews rescued a dog from a basement and reunited it with its owner.
• In Los Angeles, a rescuer kept entering fire zones to pull trapped animals to safety.
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