Quick-Thinking Poodle Hailed a Hero for Saving His Mom From House Fire
Not all dogs will be presented with the opportunity to become a hero, but the ones who do can end up surprising their humans with their incredible bravery.
It almost sounds like a cliché for a dog to save someone from a burning building, but in this case, it really happened. This Poodle rescued his mom when their house caught fire in the middle of the night, and he's the reason she's still alive to tell the tale.
@6abcactionnews The home in West Milford, Passaic County caught fire as the owner was sleeping Friday morning.
original sound - 6abc Action News
On TikTok, an ABC News affiliate shared what happened to New Jersey woman and dog mom Aida Kelly when her house was ablaze in the early hours of Friday morning. Before she'd woken up or even heard fire alarms, her three year old pup, Squilliam (likely named after the Spongebob Squarepants character of the same name), started barking, making sure she woke up.
Once she realized what was going on, she and Squilliam were able to escape. Her home is gone forever, but this dog and his mom are safe, and that's all because of his quick thinking.
Squilliam is such a good boy for taking action like this, even though he must have been so scared. It's a relief to hear that he and his mom are doing okay!
Related: This Standard Poodle Looks Like Somebody Trapped a Victorian Man in a Dog Body
Signs Your Dog Is Trying to Warn You
Barking is a big way that your dog will try to alert you that something is amiss - even if that something is simply the mail being delivered.
But when they're really trying to get your attention about impending danger, they may show other signs that what they're alerting you to is serious this time.
According to Wag, to know if your dog is trying to warn you of something, you may notice that they're exhibiting these behaviors:
- They're closely following someone
- They're hyperactive and/or shaking
- They're having a negative reaction to a stranger when they're normally more friendly
- They're scratching at a door
- They're barking and/or growling persistently
In general, if your dog is acting out of character, it could be a sign that something's up. Trust their gut (and yours) and find out what might be stressing them out. You never know what they might be trying to save you from!
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 11:30 AM.