Homeless man climbs burning dog shelter to save 25 pups: 'I wouldn't like my dog ​​to die like that'

A Colombian man who lives in Peru is being hailed as a hero for rescuing 25 puppies from a fire that broke out in a recycling plant and later spread to a dog shelter, according to My Modern Met. 

Sebastian Arias was walking down the street in La Victoia in Lima, Peru, when he saw that a recycling plant had caught on fire. The flames from the plant had also spread to a neighboring house which was a dog shelter. Although people had managed to free some of the animals that were inside, many were still trapped inside, out of reach due to the smoke and fire.

Thinking about his own dog, Arias went ahead and saved the remaining animals which were trapped inside. He climbed the facade, broke the windows and helped rescue the pups from the fire. 

Arias had reportedly earlier worked at the recycling plant and was aware that there was a dog shelter next to it. Because he knew that, he did not waste any time and sprung into action. In a viral video posted on Twitter by @AlertaMundial2, Arias can be seen reaching the terrace of the building through the balcony to save a puppy that was stranded on the rooftop. The video shows a copious amount of smoke coming up from inside the building. The good Samaritan ignored all this as he swiftly got up to the top of the building, grabbed the dog and dropped the canine onto the mattress other bystanders held below. People can be heard applauding and celebrating as he saves the dog and they also put up a ladder for him to come down.

In an interview with Latina Noticias, Arias shared what led him to quickly act in the situation. “I was walking down thinking about my wife and I saw the fire, I saw the dog that was up in the corner,” he revealed. “I have this beautiful little animal and I wouldn't want my dog ​​to burn to death. Hearing their cries, hearing their moans, I would not like my dog ​​to die like that.”

According to the publication, Arias—who is currently experiencing homelessness—is living under a bridge in the Gamrra area, a neighborhood in Peru's capital. Moreover, he is looking for his missing wife. Despite going through so much personally, the man did not think twice before helping the pups. "The last dog was scary because the wall was about to fall down on top of me,” Arias said. “The dog already had burns, his clothes were already burned, so what I did was aggressively grab him by the neck and then I did grab him by the snout and I released it.”

The dog shelter is owned by a woman called Soledad Renteria, who was out when the fire took place. She had been rescuing stray dogs for more than 12 years and helping them to find homes. After losing her house to fire, she has asked people to adopt the dogs. Renteria said, “I ask that all (the puppies) find a home, that they care for them as they care for their own children, that they love them, give them affection. The only thing they can't do is talk, but they understand you, they listen to you. You have to be humanitarian.”

One of the dogs, Lulu, has been adopted by the mayor of La Victoria, Ruben Cano. Hoping that all of them would find homes, the dogs are currently kept in another dog shelter. Cano said, “We are working with the Association for the Protection of Animals, precisely, to find them a home, so that they are well treated by responsible people and that they have a better life.”