Wildland Firefighter Rescues Injured Pup, Incurs Unexpected Veterinary Bill

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CA — A wildland firefighter with the San Bernardino National Forest is turning to the community for help after rescuing a severely injured stray puppy from an abandoned building and incurring unexpected veterinary bills.

The firefighter, who was returning to his station along a dirt road, spotted the malnourished puppy wandering into an abandoned structure. Upon closer inspection, he discovered the dog had sustained deep bite wounds — likely from a coyote attack — including a puncture wound to her neck.

"That’s when I realized the building was her final place to rest," Ruben Villanueva wrote in his online fundraising appeal. "I was not going to let her die."

He carried the dog down a hill, cleaned her injuries, and gave her food before bringing her home. After realizing the wounds were infected, his fiancée brought the puppy, now named Lola, to an animal hospital for emergency medical care and surgery.

While Lola is making a strong recovery, the couple faced unexpected financial strain after receiving the veterinary bill, which they said was performed without prior cost estimates.

The couple launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of Lola's life-saving surgery and ongoing medical care.

"We are just asking for any kind of donations to help pay for her surgery," Villanueva shared.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised $455.