Des Moines firefighters and police officers save pet from burning home

A swift collaboration from the Des Moines fire and police departments saved the life of a family's beloved pet dog Milo after he got caught in a house fire last week.

A video released by the Des Moines Police Department shows firefighters carrying Milo out of a burning Des Moines home. The firefighters immediately placed him on oxygen using a dog-specific oxygen mask and then transported him into the back of a police vehicle, where Officer Neal Shaffer cared for him as the car quickly made its way to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital on Merle Hay Road.

Shaffer then carried Milo into the pet hospital while Officer Kyle Keesey carried Milo's oxygen tank. Staff immediately met the officers at the door and quickly got to work assessing Milo's injuries and making sure he remained on oxygen and received fluids. Macenzie Johnson at Blue Pearl attributed emergency personnel's quick response to saving Milo's life.

"He's doing great. He's up, he's barking, he's eating, he's doing super well and honestly getting him here that quickly is the biggest factor," she said in the video.

As a dog owner himself, Shaffer said he is glad he was able to help save a family's loved one after a devastating fire.

"I feel really good about it," he said. "It was kind of a wide range of emotions for me, from first seeing the dog come out and thinking the worst to now maybe a day later the dog's going to be recovering well."

Watch the video showing the life-saving rescue:

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at@francescablock3.