Fall 2017  Saber Tails 13    

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

Fire In The Attic - Our Little Heroes

By Matt Worthy

It was Monday, April 8, 2013.  The PBGVCA National & Re-

gional Specialty in Houston had just ended two days pre-

viously.  Paul and I were both exhausted having spent the 

last several days setting up, working reception, attending 

various events and finally tearing down post event on 

Sunday, April 7th.  Paul went back to work and I stayed 

home, taking a day to recuperate and get some things 

done around the house.  

We had just fired our house keeper and I was planning to 

spend the day cleaning the house.  Since Paul and I were 

usually at work when the housekeeper cleaned, our two 

PBGVs, Brie and Beasley, normally spent cleaning days 

crated in the ‘dog room.’  Not knowing how they would 

react when I turned on the vacuum, I noticed the girls did 

not stay in the room with me when I was vacuuming.   The 

girls shortly started to bark in a back hallway. Thinking 

this was their normal vacuuming behavior, I continued on 

finishing the chore.

 

When I turned off the vacuum and moved into the kitch-

en to start doing the dishes, the dogs didn’t follow me.  I 

then thought they must be out of water since one of their 

water bowls was in that back hallway where they contin-

ued to bark in a demanding tone that wasn’t quite nor-

mal.  I started down the hall and detected an odd smell. 

I immediately thought that one of the dogs had gone to 

the bathroom in the house. Although this would have 

been very odd since the girls hadn’t had an accident in 

the house in years, I kept looking down expecting to find 

my “surprise.”  By the time I had rounded the corner I had 

found nothing on the floor.  I also found their water bowl 

completely full. 

 

Of course, since we all have regular conversations with 

our Peebs, I looked down and asked, “What do you want?” 

fully expecting an answer.  It took me a few seconds to 

realize that they were sitting on their butts looking up 

at the attic access 

door and bark-

ing expectantly.  

When I looked 

closer  to see 

what they were 

barking at...that’s 

when I noticed a 

whisp of smoke 

coming from the 

attic access door.  

I opened the at-

tic access a crack 

for a peek and 

saw that most of 

the attic was en-

gulfed in flames! 

I immediately 

grabbed Beas-

ley and Brie and 

rushed them 

next door to our 

neighbor’s home.

 

When I was run-

ning back to the 

house, I looked 

up to the roof 

area and could 

see the flames ris-

ing up through 

and well past the 

roof of the house.