Badly Burned Dog Escapes Transport Van Fire and Finds ‘True Angel’ in Highway Rescuer
A dog badly burned in a traffic accident found his “true angel” in the Good Samaritan who saw him running down the highway, fleeing the transport van that had caught fire. Guapo was one of eleven rescue dogs being transported from Houston, Texas to New York by Houston-based organizations Belle’s Bud Rescue and Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue when the van unexpectedly burst into flames.
Jordan Antonovich was driving home with her daughter in St. Louis, Illinois that evening when they caught sight of Guapo running down the highway. Belle’s Bud writes, “This sweet boy escaped the horrific transport van fire thanks to a true angel, Jordan. She saw him running down the highway, pulled over, and rushed him straight to Hawthorne Animal Hospital in Glen Carbon, Illinois—just two miles away. That split-second act of kindness saved his life.”
Seven of the dogs were killed in the fire, with four surviving. Ten-month-old Guapo was the most badly injured of the four.
Belle’s Bud Rescue said that the accident has devastated everyone involved.
“Our hearts are broken for the lives lost — beloved pups who were on their way to forever homes. Their adopters are grieving. Their fosters are devastated. The transport team is shattered. Everyone involved poured love and safety into these dogs. This tragedy has shaken us all to the core.”
As for what might have caused the van fire, it is being investigated. Belle’s Bud shared that on the night of the horrific accident, the transport drivers tried to save the dogs, writing:
“We are also deeply grateful to the two transport drivers who did everything they could in the face of this unimaginable tragedy. They’ve been our partners for six years—reliable, compassionate, and absolutely devastated by this loss. Our hearts are with them.”
Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue shared that what caused the vehicle fire is being investigated. The van was only a few years old and up to date on its inspections and licensing.
They shared on Facebook:
“We are still grieving, and we will never forget the lives we lost nor the trauma our drivers experienced. Our focus remains on honoring those we lost by continuing our mission of saving dogs. Please know we are seeking answers as to what happened, and we are working tirelessly behind the scenes. The investigation is ongoing (an originating cause investigation by a fire inspection specialist) and while we cannot share many details at the moment, we can address some of the common questions we’ve seen:
- Our van was regularly maintained by a trusted, reputable mechanic who was fully aware of the nature of our transports and the van’s extended use.
- The van was up to date on state inspection. We purchased our van new in June 2020. It was a diesel Mercedes Sprinter.
- As always for transports, we had two drivers. We are profoundly grateful they made it out.
- We are current on our registration in the state of NY as an animal rescue organization.
- All of the dogs onboard had current health certificates for transport.
- There were two fire extinguishers on board. There just wasn’t time.
- Our drivers do not smoke.”
Everyone involved in the tragedy is trying to heal. The other surviving dogs have now gone to their adoptive homes, and Guapo is settling into his new life with Jordan. It turns out that Jordan “couldn’t get him out of her heart” and reached out to the rescue to see if her family could adopt him—and they did. Guapo had originally been headed to New York to become a service dog in training, but now he’s joining Jordan’s household of five dogs.
Although Guapo has a long road of healing ahead, he “showing true fighter spirit.”
Jordan and her family are doing everything they can to make him feel comfortable and loved. When they learned that Guapo had a brother, Bear, who had been adopted by a family in the Houston area, they reached out to see if they might have a comfort item that smelled like him. Jordan shared:
“After a quick phone call to Bear’s family, Belle’s Bud put us in touch and Bear’s mom is so sweet. We asked for a blanket or stuffy and she sent a blanket, 2 stuffy toys, a bag of treats and a picture of Bear with a get well note. Guapo immediately wagged his tail and as soon as we laid the items down, he laid on them too and hasn’t moved. I’m sure he misses Bear, but I do also think he’s finding comfort in his scent. Hopefully one day we get the chance to visit Bear and his new family.”
Guapo’s “quarantine” time is over and he’s now interacting with the family’s other dogs. Jordan wrote:
“And Guapo wasted no time getting cuddled up to Bonnie. He’s doing so good! Hawthorne Animal Hospital removed the bandage off his rear paw and said we can remove the front 2 in a couple days. They also said we can drop the eye ointment because his eyes are doing good as well! He’s so happy to be hanging with the rest of the pack. Still have be on the lookout for irritation and infection but he’s healing fantastically. Next follow up is in 10 days and the doctor is hopeful that it will be his last check up.”
Guapo’s story is a reminder that even in the midst of tragedy, hope, healing, and love are always possible.
Visit the websites of Belle’s Bud Rescue and Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue to support their continuing rescue efforts.