When a couple in Los Angeles went on separate out-of-state trips, they had no idea that their area would be at risk of wildfires, putting their pets in danger. Fortunately, two CBS employees were on hand to assist.
On January 7, 2025, a local family lost their home when the Palisades fire broke out in Los Angeles. A dogsitter who became stuck on the highways leading to their house was left with their three pets.
According to reports, Andrea Pasinetti and his wife, Sixuan, were in San Francisco on business when the fire broke out. The three canines were left alone while the fires ravaged neighboring homes on Lachman Lane.
Andrea quickly organized a return trip to Los Angeles to try to save their pets, Hugo, Archie, and Alma. In a hotel room, he told CBS News, “The flight into [Los Angeles] was definitely very, very hard because we just didn’t have any information.”
A friend brought him up at the airport with fire-retardant gear and blankets in anticipation of the rescue. After eight minutes, they struggled to enter into the Palisades because there were “cops at most intersections.”
Regarding his current feelings, Andrea remarked, “It’s this feeling of helplessness and devastation and also just the unknown.” wishing for the best while being ready for the worst.
He was on the phone with his wife when they decided that someone else would have to enter the house or Andrea would find a way to get there. Meanwhile, Sixuan was watching the news when she noticed CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti covering from Palisades Charter High School.
They began trying to contact the reporter because the school was near their home. Before reaching out to his friend and coworker, they initially sent him tweets.
Christian Duran, a CBS News producer and Jonathan’s friend, forwarded the message to Jonathan. The two then decided to work together to save the Pasinetti dogs. They bravely walked to the family’s house, which Andrea later described as being “on its last legs.”
The dog owner stated, “We knew it was a tall order to extract all three dogs from the house.” The fact that neither of the two men had a key presented another challenge, but Andrea permitted them entry by smashing any windows if necessary.
The three rescued dogs were “pre-wired with a lot of anxiety,” according to Andrea. Hugo was hiding under a bed, and Alma was near the door, making their rescue difficult.
The CBS News crew managed to calm Alma down before concentrating on Archie; Andrea believed they used a blanket to comfort and carry her. The Palisades resident went on, “I imagine they had to lift the bed in the primary bedroom and extract Hugo.”
Even though the house was on fire, Jonathan and Christian risked their lives to save the pets. Andrea learned that the house had burned down just a few hours after the pets were rescued. He was shocked to learn that all three canines were safe.
Andrea reflected, “I have never felt that mix of joy, relief, exhaustion, despair, and gratitude for someone.” “I think it’s the best that humanity has to offer,” he continued, “because of the generosity, kindness, and risk they took to get the dogs.”
He reflected on his life priorities as a result of the encounter. He stated, “I believe that even though we accumulate a lot of stuff and sort through our possessions throughout our lives, it’s all stuff in the end.” “I think the possibility and prospect of losing something much more important just put it into perspective, even though it’s sad to lose.”
Additionally, the Palisades resident expressed gratitude to firefighters and first responders for their heroic efforts to preserve homes. One firefighter even offered to bring him home that evening despite the ongoing pandemonium.
He thought these heroes deserved all the praise because they put their lives at danger. Later, CBS News posted a video of Andrea’s story that featured the dogs that Christian and Jonathan had rescued.
Andrea shared a photo of himself with his dogs on social media to show his gratitude, and he commended the two CBS employees for going above and above to “keep our family whole.”
Jonathan also posted a video in which Andrea recounted his experience, adding, “This happened in the chaos of Tuesday night.” I almost didn’t make it to the event with my producer. We thought the house and the pets would be fine, but we were wrong.
The Palisades wildfires have resulted in 177 wildfires, 40,696 acres of fire, over 12,300 destroyed structures, 27,799 emergency responses, and 24 fatalities, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection website.
