Dog being rescued from house fire insists police officer put him on a leash first

Annie Reneau
Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:50:19 +0000
Pets, Animals, Rescue, Heroes, House fire, Police officer, Fire rescue, Dogs, Interesting

Well-trained dogs are a treasure, and a dog named Oakley in Aurora, Illinois, has given a whole new meaning to the phrase "good boy." Despite the harrowing situation he found himself in, people everywhere are delighting in this rescue dog's almost-too-good behavior.

According to the Aurora Police Department, the four-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier was home alone on the afternoon of September 11, 2025, when a fire broke out in the home's attic. When police officers responded to a fire report, they found flames coming from the back of the home. Investigator Michael Ely and Investigator Jacob Leonard weren't sure if anyone was home, but they were informed there was a dog, and they forced entry through the front door. They didn't find any people inside, but they did find Oakley in a room with a gated doorway on the first floor.

@cbsnews
A family dog named Oakley led a police officer to his leash as the pup was being rescued from a house fire in Aurora, Illinois. Nobody else was inside the home and Oakley had no injuries. #aurora #illinois

When Ely removed the gate and coaxed Oakley to come with him, the dog immediately ran away through the smoky house—and right past the front door. As the smoke alarm blared, Ely followed Oakley, who went straight to his leash hanging on a hook by the back door. Oakley put his nose up to the leash, then sat down and waited dutifully for Ely to put it on him. As soon as the leash was secured, Oakley was good to go and Ely quickly led him out of the house to safety.

Ely told CBS News, "He ran right to that leash and kind of looked up at it, and I'm like, 'Okay, buddy. We'll put your leash on if that makes you feel better.' As soon as I put the leash on, he took off on me."

Here's the full footage shared by the Aurora Police Department:

Oakley is fortunate that the fire was upstairs and not immediately threatening his life, otherwise his good training may have cost valuable seconds getting out of the burning building. Since the video was shared, Oakley has become a viral sensation, with people in the comments celebrating his dedication to rules and routine:

"Awww... he's like, 'Mom doesn't let me go out without a leash.'"

"What a good boy, and good owners too. They've taught him the only possible way to go out through that front door is when to have your leash on."

"Firefighters: 'This is an emergency we need to evacuate.' Dog: 'No no you got it all backwards bro. It’s an emergency that I don’t have my leash.'"

"He was like, 'You ain't gettin' me in trouble. I got yelled at the last time I ran out the house without my leash!'"

"Oakley’s like, 'Dude, you are an officer of the law, and the law says LEASHES!'"

Dog leash is a must. Giphy

The homeowner is so thankful officer Ely was able to find Oakley and get him out of the house. They shared some details about the good pup with the Aurora Police Department:

"He is a rescue dog from a local organization called Players for Pits. He was adopted as a puppy by our family. He is 4 years old and is an athletic dog who loves to play and wrestle. He enjoys snuggling with us, snoring loudly as he sleeps, sunbathing, and eating peanut butter. We are forever grateful to Mike at the Aurora Police Department for saving our sweet dog."

Thankfully, the fire was put out, and despite Officer Ely's smoky coughs caught on camera after exiting the home with Oakley, there were no injuries to any people or pets.

Three cheers for Oakley, the goodest boy, and for the responding officers who risked their own safety to rescue the diligent pup and his trusty leash.