"I have seen how you loved me, and even though you are no longer the same person I know, I can still feel your burning love."
This is a story of a wildfire that occurred in California, USA. A merciless fire raged in the mountains, taking away people's lives and homes, and leaving many owners and pets separated.
One of the dogs, Max, was originally a very handsome sled dog. Before the fire, he lived in a loving family and played with his family every day. Because he loved his owner very much, Max always expressed his loyalty and love to his owner.
A loving look and a kiss—that's how it greets its owner every day. Life with a pet is truly wonderful.
However, the good times didn't last long. A sudden fire threw people and their pets into chaos. Max's owners went to rescue their eldest and youngest daughters first. When they returned to pick up Max after settling their family, they couldn't find him. They thought Max had met with misfortune and felt guilty and remorseful several times.
Unwilling to accept Max's departure, the owner kept a close eye on the news and animal reports.
Perhaps due to the family's insistence, a few days later the animal shelter released information about a dog that had been rescued from the fire.
The dog had a tag around its neck with Max's name on it. Upon learning this, the owner immediately contacted volunteers.
When he arrived at the scene and saw a dog with a yellowish-brown body, the owner was shocked. He couldn't be sure that this was his Max, because in his memory Max shouldn't look like this.
Perhaps because he had just gone through a life-or-death struggle, Max seemed very tired. When he saw his owner, he wasn't as excited as expected, which made his owner think that maybe this dog wasn't Max.
When the owner was about to turn away, unable to confirm the situation, Max suddenly ran to his side. It stared intently at its owner with tears in its eyes. After looking at its owner for a few seconds, it kissed its owner's hands, feet, and cheeks.
This action awakened the owner's past memories. The owner hugged it tightly. At that moment, he felt sorry for Max, that he shouldn't have failed to recognize it when it was burned beyond recognition.
Max, who was brought back, will need treatment. His fur and skin were severely burned, and recovery will take several months, or even more than a year.
During this time, the family did not laugh at Max because he was burned and became ugly. Instead, they took good care of Max, warmed him with love, and let him live freely at home as usual.
In just a few months, Max underwent an amazing transformation. His fur began to grow back, and he slowly regained his handsome appearance. Max's rapid recovery surprised even the veterinarian, who exclaimed, "Happiness is the best medicine."
More than two years have passed since then. Max watched his master's third daughter being born and looked after the little master. Max always silently protected her, and their family remained the same as before.
Max continues to express its love for its family every day, and the family loves it even more because of what happened back then.
An owner's true love for their pet is never determined by its appearance; companionship and warmth are the most enduring expressions of affection.
