Two dogs, one rabbit saved from blaze inside Hastings home

• Breathing in life

Tara Mauch of Hastings gives mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dog that had been trapped inside a burning Hastings home on Monday morning. The dog is getting care at a veterinarian but appeared to be OK. Photo by Chad Richardson

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HASTINGS - Two dogs were miraculously saved in Hastings today. The dogs were rescued from a burning home by firefighters from the Hastings Fire Department, then were quickly cared for by bystanders and rushed to the veterinarian.

One woman on the scene gave one of the dogs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

The home in the 1300 block of West 17th Street caught fire at around 11:30 a.m. today, April 23. The residents of the home were not present at the time, but their two dogs and a rabbit were.

After firefighters knocked down the flames enough to enter, they found the two pets and rushed them outside into the arms of a family member. One white dog was struggling to breathe, and that's when neighbor Tara Mauch jumped in. While the dog was held by another bystander, Mauch began giving the dog mouth-to-mouth.

"I was just trying to blow the air out of his lungs," she said.

What she did apparently helped the dog. Shortly thereafter, the second dog was rescued by firefighters. The two were then taken to a nearby veterinarian for care by family members and a neighbor.

Mauch had arrived earlier and when she heard there were two dogs inside, she got herself prepared. When the moment came she didn't hesitate.

"I was pacing around, just waiting for the animals," Mauch said. "I was like, 'Please pull the dogs out. Please pull the dogs out.'"

This wasn't the first time Mauch has helped animals in need.

"I'm obsessed with saving animals," she said.

"My boyfriend doesn't like it," Mauch joked.

Later, firefighters were able to save a rabbit from inside the home, to

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