Six dogs were pulled from a Portland townhome as firefighters tried to revive them using pet oxygen masks, according to Portland Fire & Rescue. The agency’s first social media update left a lot of questions unanswered, including how the animals were doing and whether any people were hurt.
6 dogs have removed from the townhome and crews are actively working to revive them with pet masks.
— Portland Fire & Rescue (@PDXFire) Jul 25, 2026
In a post on X, Portland Fire & Rescue said crews had removed six dogs from the townhome and were “actively working to revive the dogs with pet masks.” That short message was all the bureau initially shared, offering no update on the animals’ conditions or what triggered the emergency response.
Pet oxygen masks and why they matter
Specialized pet oxygen masks are designed to fit over an animal’s snout and deliver concentrated oxygen to pets suffering from smoke inhalation. The snug fit can help improve an animal’s chances of recovery when every second counts. Fire departments and local reporting have noted that donated pet-mask kits have allowed crews to stabilize and, in some cases, revive animals at fire scenes. KRTV and WUNC have previously reported on departments using the kits to treat pets after fires.
Similar incidents in Portland this summer
A June blaze in Mill Park killed three dogs and left another treated with oxygen before it was transported to an emergency veterinary hospital, underscoring the danger smoke poses to both pets and people. That incident pushed officials and local outlets to remind residents to build pets into escape plans and to keep carriers, leashes and microchip information within easy reach in an emergency; the Mill Park blaze detailed the response.
How to protect pets in a fire
Smoke inhalation can be deadly for animals, and fire-safety authorities advise treating pets as part of the family escape plan. Recommended steps include practicing evacuation drills, assigning someone to be responsible for pets during an emergency and keeping grab-and-go carriers or leashes by exits. The National Fire Protection Association outlines pet-inclusive escape planning, and the City of Portland’s fire-safety guidance echoes those steps and adds household preparedness checklists. NFPA and Portland Fire & Rescue both offer practical resources for building pet-inclusive plans.
Officials had not released further information about the townhome, the dogs’ conditions or the cause of the incident at the time of the department’s post. Additional details may come from Portland Fire & Rescue or other local authorities as they complete their response and any investigation.
