Oftentimes, animals can have a difficult time fending for themselves. They rely on their humans to keep them safe. But for shelter dogs, life can be even harder without a family looking out for them 24/7.

Luckily, there are still many people who would risk their lives for any animals in danger. One homeless man made that clear when he ran into open flames to save the lives of innocent shelter dogs and cats. He knows how much a dog can change your life, so he knew exactly what he had to do in that moment.

Image: @WNDRDOGS/Facebook

Facing the Flames

Keith Walker is very close to the staff at W-Underdogs in Atlanta, Georgia. They let his Pit Bull named Bravo stay there every night and they even help provide dog food for the duo. Walker and Bravo are incredibly close, so despite being homeless, Walker does everything he can to support his furry friend.

But when Walker approached the shelter one day, he saw that it was up in flames. He was terrified, but he knew he had to do what was right.

“I was nervous as hell, I’m not going to lie. I was really scared to go in there with all that smoke. But God put me there to save those animals,” Walker said. “If you love a dog, you can love anyone in the world. My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn’t be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs.”

Image: @WNDRDOGS/Facebook

Walker ran into the burning building and rescued all the animals, which included six dogs and ten cats. The fire department later announced that it was an electrical fire. The entire building wasn’t destroyed, but it was uninhabitable.

Awarding a True Hero

Thankfully, the shelter was in the process of transferring to a new location when the fire hit. The new building wasn’t fully ready for the furry guests, but it was more secure than the older, damaged structure. Staff and volunteers quickly found ways to accommodate all the animals in the new space.

Soon, everyone was calling Walker a hero and a “guardian angel.” Thanks to him, the lives of many cats and dogs were saved. The shelter promised to continue supporting him and Bravo in any way they could, but they wished there was more they could do to help. They were unable to give him a place to live and a full-time job, which is likely what he needed most.

Image: @WNDRDOGS/Facebook

But the community refused to let Walker continue his life without proper support. Soon, everyone raised money to share their gratitude to the kind man. They’ve gathered about $35,000 and counting, which is far more than expected. Hopefully, it will be enough for Walker and Bravo to get a fresh start to life.

If you’re interested in helping this kindhearted hero, donate to the GoFundMe page. There is also a second GoFundMe campaign in place to help the shelter replace all the donations and items that were lost in the fire.

H/T: people.com
Featured Image: @WNDRDOGS/Facebook