From the Flames to Hope: Taka the Burn Survivor Dog Who Now Comforts Others
On October 23, 2018, a fire broke out in a home in Georgia. The family had just enough time to get the children out safely, but their beloved 9-year-old Shiba Inu, Taka, didn’t make it out in time.
As the house burned, the front porch collapsed, and Taka fell through. Remarkably, he managed to escape and ran to a nearby neighbor’s house — his fur still on fire.
The shocked neighbors quickly contacted Dr. Crystal Lesley at Care More Animal Hospital via Facebook after discovering the severely burned dog.
“I saw the photo and immediately called them,” Dr. Lesley recalls. “I told them to bring him straight to me.”
A Fight for Survival
When Taka arrived, he was still smoking from the fire. The veterinary team was horrified — he was the worst burn victim they had ever seen, and they weren’t sure if he would survive.
Taka was in excruciating pain and couldn’t be touched without screaming. The team had to sedate him just to assess his wounds. Despite the overwhelming injuries, Dr. Lesley refused to give up on him.
Once his story was shared on the clinic’s Facebook page, the community quickly rallied. Donations came pouring in to help pay for his treatment. But Taka’s condition worsened — his pain became unbearable, and he needed specialist care.
Intensive Care and a Heartbreaking Bond
Dr. Lesley personally drove Taka to the South Carolina Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care clinic. She remembers crying with him on the floor of the waiting room.
Taka ended up staying in the hospital for six weeks. Every weekend, Dr. Lesley visited him.
Once he was released, she took over his care, providing daily bandage changes and wound treatment. It was during this time they discovered that Taka couldn’t blink, which put his vision at risk.
A Miracle, A New Life
The story took a heartwarming turn when a nurse at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center heard about Taka and arranged for free reconstructive surgery so he could blink again. The surgeons donated their time and expertise.
“We were incredibly moved by their kindness,” said Lesley. “Thanks to them, Taka can blink again.”
Taka’s original family, heartbroken but unable to provide the ongoing medical care he needed, decided to surrender him to the veterinarians. By then, Dr. Lesley had already grown deeply attached to Taka, who had been coming home with her every night.
Eventually, she made it official — Taka became hers.
Turning Pain into Purpose
After months of recovery, Taka was not only healing physically but emotionally too. His sweet and gentle nature began to shine through.
A nurse at the burn center suggested that Taka might visit child burn victims — offering them comfort and a story of survival to relate to.
“He LOVES kids and people,” Dr. Lesley says. “He’s the perfect mix of sweet and silly.”
Lesley knew he was special — not just for surviving, but for the healing presence he brought to others.
More Than a Survivor
Today, Taka is more than a burn survivor — he’s a symbol of hope, a therapy dog in the making, and a beloved member of the community.
“I thought about it and realized… he was too special not to share with the world.”