A heartwarming moment unfolded in Los Angeles as Casey Colvin was joyously reunited with his rescue dog, Oreo, who had been feared lost in the catastrophic wildfire sweeping through the city.
The emotional video of their reunion quickly went viral, capturing the powerful bond between man and dog.
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Colvin broke down in tears on Sunday when a dog tracker helped him locate Oreo among the debris of a neighbor’s house in the Pacific Palisades, the area hardest hit by the blaze.
Armed with a squeaky toy and accompanied by his other dog, Colvin approached the gate, where Oreo was found sitting atop the driveway—grimy but unharmed. The reunion was emotional as Colvin coaxed Oreo closer, embracing him with overwhelming joy.
“Oh my God! You’re alive! Oh, honey!” Colvin exclaimed, pumping his fist in sheer relief and happiness.
The search for Oreo had captured widespread attention after Colvin's distress was featured in a story by NBC News correspondent Liz Kreutz. After several days of uncertainty, someone reported seeing Oreo amidst the rubble.
This led Colvin to rush to the location, and on January 12, with the help of a professional dog trapper, he was finally reunited with his beloved pet.
Kreutz shared the emotional moment on social media, writing, “OREO HAS BEEN FOUND!!!” She added that it was “an incredible bright spot in such a devastating time.”
While reporting the story, Kreutz revealed that Colvin was not home when the evacuation order was issued. His two dogs, Oreo and Tika Tika Tika, were left behind inside the house. Colvin’s desperation to return to save his pets was apparent from the first day of the fire.
“I met Casey Colvin the very first day of the fire. He was in distress trying to get back to his home in the Palisades to get his two dogs, Oreo and Tika Tika Tika,” said Kreutz.
Fortunately, a firefighter took heroic action and went to Colvin’s home to save the dogs. However, he could only retrieve Tika Tika Tika because Oreo had already escaped. “Had that firefighter not intervened, both dogs would have been trapped when the flames arrived,” Kreutz added.
Afterward, a friend of Colvin spotted Oreo in the neighborhood, and with the help of an AirTag, they were able to track the dog's movements. Colvin was able to find Oreo hiding in a neighbor's home. When Oreo saw his owner, he immediately ran to him, completing the joyful reunion.
“We rushed to his street where Oreo was hiding in his neighbor’s home. The moment he saw Casey, he came running,” Kreutz said.