Dog saves owner's life weeks after being rescued

MANSFIELD, Ohio -– Charred rubble is all that remains of an unoccupied house on Harold Avenue in Mansfield that caught fire early Sunday morning.

FOX 8 reports: Firefighters are still trying to determine the cause of the fire that destroyed the house that Jacob Martin was working to restore, but thanks to his best friend, Buddy, no one was hurt.

"I was asleep. My dog started barking," said Martin. "I woke up and everything was glowing."

Martin and his dog live behind the home and the fire was beginning to spread to his house when an alert Buddy made sure he woke up.

"The heat melted the door," Martin said. "I actually burnt my hand trying to open the door."

Buddy woke up Martin just in time to save his life, but it turns out that Buddy was actually returning a favor he just got a few weeks ago.

Martin said a former co-worker told him a month ago that Buddy had been left in a vacant home.

"He was abandoned in a house. The neighbors got him out about a week later. They couldn't keep him so they brought him to me," Martin said.

He added that his heart is breaking because he is not sure he will be able to keep Buddy. He recently got laid off from his job, and now with the fire he said he is not sure if he will be able to take care of him.

"Buddy is the best dog I ever had, great dog and good company," Martin said.

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