Homeless Man Nicknamed 'Guardian Angel' After Rescuing 16 Animals

Last Updated on October 10, 2022 by Pets Feed

Heroes without capes are everywhere and can appear when you least expect them, they are always ready to help those in need and do not ask anything in return; they do it out of an act of love for their neighbor.

In Atalanta, United States, a fire in an animal shelter almost killed several cats and dogs, luckily, Keith Walker, a homeless man was arriving at the scene when he realized what was happening and rushed to save all the occupants of the house.

The incident occurred on December 18, when Mr. Walker was on his way to pick up his pitbull dog named Bravo for a walk.

Homeless man rescued several animals from a fire

He observed a fire in the kitchen of the W-Underdogs shelter in Atlanta, Georgia, so immediately and risking his life, he entered the scene and removed a total of 16 animals.

W-Underdogs is a non-profit organization that rescues animals in any precarious situation. At the time of the fire, no one was at the scene as they were collecting donations and supplies.

Fortunately, Mr. Walker provided the necessary assistance in the incident and removed 6 dogs and 10 trapped cats from the scene.

Keith, 53 years old and living on the streets since he was 13 years old, he told CNN:

I was very afraid to go in there with all that smoke. But God put me there to save those animals. If you love a dog, you can love anyone in the world.

He added:

My dog is my best friend and I wouldn’t be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs.

Although the response from city firefighters was swift and the flames were contained, the house was left uninhabitable. According to the report, the fire was caused by an electrical failure.

W-Underdogs founder Gracie Hamlin in an interview with CNN described Keith as her ‘guardian angel’:

Even the firefighters didn’t want to handle the dogs. They called animal control, but Keith was already in the building taking the cats and dogs out until everyone was safe.

Gracie added:

I can’t thank you enough for saving my animals. I’m still incredulous, because I’ve been near a fire and I know how fast they ignite. He is my hero.

Fortunately, the shelter was a few weeks away from moving to a new location and they were able to move the animals there. Although the facilities were not yet ready, the site could be temporarily adapted so that the animals had a place to stay.

Due to the contingency, a campaign was organized to urgently request aid and speed up the adaptation of the place. At the moment, many people have reached out and donated many supplies and food for the animals.

Gracie wrote on Facebook:

Most importantly, these cats and dogs need foster homes and forever homes. Please consider adopting this holiday season.

Hamlin added:

We are in contact with Keith and we are working to assess his needs and wishes. He is not currently accepting offers of help, but we will keep in touch with him and share as much as he allows us.

She noted that “we will also continue to provide food and medical care to his dog, Bravo,” and that any money donated to the shelter “goes to support our community, including Keith and so many other deserving people and pets.”

Thanks to the heroic act of the street dweller and all the selfless people who helped fight the fire, the shelter animals have the opportunity to continue living and hope for a family that will welcome them and give them the love they deserve.