Hero dog that stayed behind with family's goats during fire found safe

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Monday, October 16, 2017
Family dog protects goats through Santa Rosa fire
Odin the dog refused to leave his family's rescue goats behind when the Tubbs fire forced the family to flee their home.

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. -- Two beloved dogs and a herd of rescue goats have been reunited with their family after going missing in the aftermath of the Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County.

When Roland Hendel left Odin, his family's Great Pyrenees, on their property in unincorporated Sonoma County as they fled the Tubbs Fire, he thought it was a death sentence for the dog.

"He was determined to stay with the goats and I had to let him do it," Hendel said.

Amazingly, Odin and the family's eight rescue goats all survived the fire with only minor injuries. Hendel and his daughter reunited the animals with Odin's sister Tessa on Wednesday, only to have all the animals disappear from their property the next day.

Distraught, family and friends searched the neighborhood and called shelters. After ABC7 News shared the story, strangers from all over the Bay Area chimed in with tips about where the animals might be and wishes for the family.

Saturday afternoon, Odin, Tessa and all the goats were located.

Hendel tells ABC7 News they will not leave the animals alone again until they can find them safe shelter.