Early Sunday afternoon, Tara and Frank Piniella arrived home to every parent’s worst nightmare; their house engulfed in flames with their youngest human child, Emma (19), and their three fur-babies, Brutus (9), Luna (3), and Theo (1), asleep inside. Firefighters were quick to locate and rescue Emma, who was taken to the hospital and released a few hours later. The puppy, Theo, escaped on his own and was safely corralled by neighbors. But the two other dogs had to be rescued from the house by firefighters. Both were in critical condition and required immediate interventions. Luna, hiding in the closet, was mistaken for a blanket at first, but was found on the second sweep and brought outside. She has burns on her body and inside her mouth and nose, which are preventing her from eating, so she will require a feeding tube. Brutus was unresponsive and had to be resuscitated and ventilated at the scene. He has the worst of the respiratory issues. The three dogs were transported to Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island in West Islip where they are in stable condition. But toxicity in dogs after smoke inhalation can show up 24/72 hours later, so they’re not completely out of the woods yet, and no one knows what their long-term complications or needs might be. We do know that the costs associated with their care are going to be astronomical, so this fundraiser was created to help the family in their time of need. Please be as generous as you can, and share this link with friends. Checks can also be mailed directly to Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island: VMCLI, 75 Sunrise Hwy, West Islip, NY 11795-2033 (**please reference Brutus/Luna Piniella in the memo section of the check**).

Thank you. ❤️

We are beyond grateful to the courageous Islip Terrace and East Islip firefighters and paramedics who saved the lives of Emma, Brutus, Luna, and Theo, and were trained in K-9 Advanced Medicine. Special thanks to Jared Michael, Chief Schroeder and Mike Hand from East Islip, and to East End Veterinary Center, who hosted the K-9 Advanced Medicine Course.