When devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles earlier this year, one local shelter was given just 30 minutes to evacuate all 60 of their dogs.
The scene was pure chaos — dogs barking, staff scrambling, and volunteers rushing to get every animal to safety.
But in the middle of it all, one dog slept right through the commotion.
Henry, a deaf senior pup, couldn’t hear the alarms or barking around him. While every other dog cried out in fear, Henry sat quietly in the back of his kennel, calm and unaware of the danger.
That heartbreaking silence meant Henry was accidentally overlooked. As the vans pulled away, Henry was left behind, still waiting patiently in his kennel.
When staff realized what had happened, panic set in. They immediately reached out to local rescues for help — and that’s when Starts With One Today stepped in.
The next morning, rescuers arrived to find Henry barking for help, confused and alone.
He was rushed to a vet, where doctors discovered he had smoke inhalation. Thankfully, with treatment and lots of love, Henry bounced back quickly.
Not long after, a couple named Dillon and Olivia heard Henry’s story and offered to foster him. But as soon as Henry settled into their home, it was clear — fostering wasn’t enough.
They’d fallen completely in love, and Henry officially became part of their family.
Six months later, Henry’s past feels like a distant memory. Instead of sitting in a kennel, he now spends his days napping, taking long walks, and hanging out at his dad’s shop.
The dog who once got left behind has finally found the place where he’ll never be forgotten again.
Keep up with Henry on Instagram & follow his rescuer, Joey's, work Starts With One Today on Instagram:
