Homeless man helps save animals from fire at Atlanta rescue facility

ATLANTA — A homeless man rushed into a burning home that was used to house rescue dogs and saved the animals, officials with the rescue said Saturday.

The W-Underdogs headquarters caught fire on Friday afternoon while rescue workers were out picking up supply donations. The non-profit works with at-risk youth to teach them how to care for animals before they are adopted out.

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Firefighters said that when the flames broke out, a homeless man down the street rushed over and helped get all of the animals out safely. The home was completely destroyed.

“Tonight we thank our guardian angels,” W-Underdogs founder Gracie Hamlin wrote on Facebook. “The homeless man that ran into our burning house and rescued our animals. The fire department and @fultonanimalservices officers MJ and Joan for quick action. Our animals are safe and thanks to the incredible response from the community, everyone is settled and safe warm and secure❤️🙏.”

Hamlin said the fire department determined that the cause of the fire was electrical.

As it happened, W-Underdogs was about to move into a new headquarters. Volunteers were able to transfer the animals into the new facility.

“While the new facility is not exactly “move-in ready” we were able to move the animals safely into the new facility for the night,” Hamlin said. “They are all happy, warm, safe, and comfortable in their new temporary home.”

The rescue is asking for supplies to help them make the transition smoother -- but they are also looking for furever homes for their animals.

Most importantly, these cats and dogs need foster and forever homes. Please consider fostering for the holidays,” Hamlin wrote.

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