Man Finds Neighbor’s Dogs After A Devastating Fire Then Realizes What They’re Protecting

Boise resident Louis Armstrong recently made a trip to Kamiah, Idaho to check on his family’s property after wildfire swept through the area. The fire has destroyed 42 homes and destroyed roughly 300 acres.

Fortunately, Armstrong’s home had been spared from the flames but the property and forest surrounding the home had been razed to the ground. He was touring the area near his family’s tree farm when he spotted a heartbreaking sight. Three of his neighbor’s dogs (a mother and her young ones) were standing guard over a fawn that died in the fire.

Armstrong told news outlets that the dogs were trying to protect the animal. He snapped a photo of the sad scene before continuing on and checked back on the dogs throughout the day.

Armstrong wrote on Facebook: “This one got me in the feels. Lots of destruction and sadness in the Kamiah area — I found this dead fawn this morning. An hour later this sheep dog and her 2 pups are here protecting it. They have been here for hours and won’t leave – barking at people that come near (although they are very nice).”

The dogs remained on vigil with the fawn until sunset. Although it’s not clear why the dogs protected the deceased deer, most likely the working dogs were doing what they are trained to do and watching out for a baby animal they believed to be part of their herd.