City honors pug for saving family from fire

MERIDIAN, ID (KTRK) -- An 11-year-old pug is being hailed a hero after saving his family from a fire that could have destroyed their home.

Jaxon was honored with a "Hometown Hero Award" by the Meridian City Council after alerting his family to a sparking electric outlet.

The sparks soon turned to flames, and Mikeaela Sebree, her husband, Todd, and their children went into action to stop the fire.

Mikeaela says it was Jaxon's bark that caught her attention.

"Dogs have different kids of barks, so he has his 'somebody's at the door bark,' and then he has his 'holy crap something's happening' bark,'" Mikeaela says.

A fire extinguisher was used to knock out the flames, and firefighters said the damage could have been a lot worse.

The flames very well could have traveled up the walls and into the attic, fire officials said, causing significant damage.

Jaxon is the first animal to receive the Hometown Hero Award. He also earned an official probationary firefighter badge.

"Jaxon is definitely a super pug, he deserves the hometown hero, he saved our house, he saved our lives, and he saved our memories," Todd Sebree says.