Opinion

Somerville: A dog's bravery and devotion

Odin the dog rests in a photo uploaded Saturday, October 14, 2017. As the Tubbs fire burned across Sonoma County, Roland Tembo Hendel's dog Odin preformed a quiet act of heroism. Odin the dog rests in a photo uploaded Saturday, October 14, 2017. As the Tubbs fire burned across Sonoma County, Roland Tembo Hendel's dog Odin preformed a quiet act of heroism. Photo: Courtesy/Roland Tembo Hendel/KTVU Photo: Courtesy/Roland Tembo Hendel/KTVU Image 1 of / 37 Caption Close Somerville: A dog's bravery and devotion 1 / 37 Back to Gallery

This is Odin. He is a hero.



Despite the fire, he never left the goats he was in charge of.



Here's what Roland Tembo Hendel wrote about his dog:

As many of you know, Ariel, Scott, Stephen, and I lost everything we had in the Tubbs fire that devastated our forest home in Sonoma County earlier this week.



We had minutes to load up the animals and run from the advancing firestorm.



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.



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.

Since then, Odin has been reunited with his sister Tessa. He appears to be getting stronger, and his sister's presence will surely help to lift his spirits and take some of the burden off his giant shoulders. Also the wonderful volunteers at Sonoma County Fairgrounds gave Odin a check-up and said he is in remarkable health given what he's been through.

He was limping and lying down more often than usual because his poor paw-pads are burned. But he will make a full recovery. Tomorrow he gets a shampoo, a grooming, and nice steak.

And with that, we are going to enjoy a pizza and a beer and a good night's rest. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and for sticking with us through this roller-coaster ride.

—Roland Tembo Hendel

What an an amazing Dog!

#StayStrong #ISaluteOdin

Frank Somerville is a contributor to SFGATE and anchors the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. news on KTVU. This post originally appeared on his Facebook page.