Published: Less than 20 min ago
James Benton, 42, was forced to flee his home as the blaze approached.
Behind him he left the three-month-old puppy Patches.
For two days, he thought his four-legged friend had died in the flames.
James Benton, 42, was forced to abandon his home because of the California wildfire. As the flames approached, he took his five dogs to escape in his RV.
But not everyone made it that far.
When James Benton counted his four-legged friends, he discovered that four were missing. Only one French bulldog was in the camper.
– I tried to run back but then I was about to pass out. I suffocated and couldn’t see anything because of the ash, he tells the newspaper Sacramento Bee.
The flames forced James Benton to leave the dogs in the sting. Among the animals left behind were a German Shepherd named Trooper and three pit bull puppies – one named Patches.
For two days, the 42-year-old did not know if he would see his pets again.
Photographer captured everything on film
On Saturday morning, freelance photographer Jonathan Rivers got a surprise while filming what little remained of James Benton’s burned-out neighborhood.
Suddenly a little puppy appeared out of the smoke with ash in its fur. With tail wagging, the little dog ran up to the photographer.
“Come here, buddy! What have you been involved in?” says the photographer in the film while petting the puppy.
After receiving water and love, the dog was able to be dropped off at a rehabilitation center in a nearby village. There it was established that it was Patches who had been found.
Hope Trooper and the pups live
James Benton was contacted and when the duo were reunited on Sunday afternoon it was a tearful meeting.
He tells the newspaper that Patches was extra happy to meet his friend, the French bulldog.
– They have wrestled and played. They are very happy to have each other because they were both alone before that, says James Benton.
Now he hopes that Trooper and the other two puppies did just as well. The hope is that the German shepherd will take care of his family.
– He is very resourceful. He is a smart dog, Benton told the newspaper.