Pit Bull Rescued From Abandoned Crack House Becomes Firehouse Dog

February 23, 2017

A month ago, animal rescuers Erica Mahnken and her fiancé, Michael Favor, found Ashley the pit bull inside an abandoned "crack house" in Staten Island, New York. She was severely malnourished and covered in cigarette burns.

Now she's standing proud as the official firehouse dog of the Lower East Side "Fort Pitt" FDNY station.

pit bull rescue from crack house to firehouse
probyash / Instagram

"We didn't ask any questions when the person called us and told us the dog was alone," Mahnken told CBS News. "It was freezing out. There was nothing in the house. No, we didn't think about it — we just ran and got her and said we'll figure out what we were going to do after we got her out of there."

At the time, the pair didn't have anywhere to house the shivering dog. So, they called up some firefighter friends.

The firefighters, who used to house a rottweiler, agreed to temporarily welcome the dog. Three days later, they called up Mahnken and asked if they could adopt the nearly one-year-old pit bull.

pit bull rescue from crack house to firehouse
probyash / Instagram

"My heart wants to explode," Mahnken said. "Everyone's so quick to judge a dog, especially a dog you don't know where it came from or what kind of person they are and what kind... It is very satisfying."

pit bull rescue from crack house to firehouse
probyash / Instagram

Ashley loves to hang out with the crew in the kitchen and goes on ride-alongs with the firefighters when they respond to a fire. She even has her own little spot on the fire truck.

pit bull rescue from crack house to firehouse
probyash / Instagram