One evening in West Palm Beach, Florida, fire rescue Captain Gregg Gordon and his team were called to take care of a fire. When they arrived, they came across a critically burned guard dog, crying out in pain and tied up to a tree, distressing for even the coldest of hearts. One of the team cut him loose and took him straight to the Jupiter Pet Emergency and Specialty Center (JPESC). "The little guy was burned up pretty good," Gordon said to The Palm Beach Post. "Even when we grabbed him, he was very distressed. I was concerned whether he would live."

Dr Latimer is a vet at JPESC, he was on call the night the burned pup, nicknamed Smokey, was taken in, he saw the worst of the burns were on Smokeys backside. Thankfully, Dr Latimer said Smokey was going to be okay, despite him needing a lot of treatment and care before he recovers. JPESC wrote on their Facebook: "During the several weeks that he was with us at JPESC, Smokey received multiple blood transfusions (THANK YOU "Shadow")!!! , daily baths and bandage/wrap changes. In addition, he received treatments in the hyperbaric chamber to help with reduction of swelling as well as pain from the multiple burns/".

Smokey was a nervous and scared pup when he first arrived at the rescue center. With a bit of time, he became comfortable with the vets and nurses around him. Often, the firefighters who brought him in would visit him, and one day Captain Gordon even decided to temporarily foster him while he was still recovering. Captain Gordon had two other dogs at home and Smokey was over the moon to have new friends to play with.

A week after Captain Gordon took Smokey home, he was brought back to JPESC for a routine check-up. The moment Dr Latimer walked into the room, Smokey leapt up and gave him a big hug. You could tell that Smokey had a special place in his heart for Dr Latimer, almost as if he knew he saved his life and wanted to thank him.

"As you can see, he is SO thankful for all of the care, love and treatments that he received during his time with us! Welcome back, Smokey!" JPESC wrote on YouTube. This was also when another vet at the center, Dr Katelyn Thomas, who had fallen in love with Smokey, decided to officially adopt him. She named him Fen, and the pair have been together and happy for a few years now. You can watch video below: