Farmer Forced To Abandon Dog & Goats During Wildfire

Like so many others, Roland Tembo Hendel lost his home to the raging wildfires that have been plaguing California. The farmer lost his hand-built house, his truck, his workshop, and all his worldly possessions.

But he didn’t lose everything.

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It all started at around 10:30 p.m. when Roland first smelled smoke.

His family had no warning whatsoever, but by 11 he could see flames on the horizon and minutes later could feel the heat as the fire headed straight for his Sonoma County property.

Roland woke up his daughter and loaded her and their dogs and cat into the car. There was no room for his 8 goats in the car, but Roland tried to coax his “stubborn and fearless Great Pyrenees,” Odin, to jump in. Odin wasn’t having it. He refused to leave his goats.

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That’s when Roland was forced to make the hardest decision of his life and tearfully left them.

He describes that terrifying night in a post on YouCaring:

“Despite the sounds of exploding propane tanks, twisting metal, and the hot swirling winds, Odin refused to leave our family of 8 bottle-fed rescue goats. Hours later, when we had found relative safety, we cried for Odin and our goats. I was sure I had sentenced them to a horrific and agonizing death.”

But when Roland returned to his property later, he was in for a shocking surprise.

“Days later, when we were able to make it back to the property, we found a burned, battered, and weakened Odin, surrounded by his 8 goats and several small deer who had come to him for protection and safety. Odin was weak and limping, his once thick and beautiful coat singed orange, his whiskers melted. Even now as I write this, I am crying tears of gratitude and awe at his bravery and devotion.”

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Despite the intense, devastating heat and wind, Odin refused to leave his goats. Instead, he protected them– and some newly adopted deer– so that not a single life was lost. Thankfully, the heroic pooch is already getting stronger and will make a full recovery.

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Roland added on Facebook, “Odin has lived up to his namesake. Pray for him and his charges. He is our inspiration. If he can be so fearless in this maelstrom, surely so can we.”

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The story of Odin’s heroism has quickly gone viral. Now Odin has his own Facebook page, and the YouCaring profile has raised $73,500 of the family’s $45,000 goal. The money will, in part, go towards repairing the animals’ barn and establishing a fresh water supply for them. The family is donating the excess to the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue Center: “this will provide care for animals affected by this tragedy, that Odin could not care for himself.”

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