CHILLICOTHE, OH - (June 5, 2025) When a Chillicothe-area family lost their home and beloved Rottweiler, “Sully,” in a recent house fire, the family of six was naturally devastated. Recognizing the depth of their loss, the local firefighters (Huntington Township, Ross County) were moved to help the family find a Rottweiler puppy to fill the huge void in their hearts.

Huntington Township Firefighter Ryan McCainn said, "When we realized a family pet had been lost, our hearts broke alongside theirs." Seeing the pain in the children’s faces, especially as the reality of losing Sully sank in, the firefighters wanted to do more for the family and decided to find a new pet for them.

The firefighters found a pair of Rottweiler puppies for the family to deliver twice the joy. With the family losing everything in the fire, McCainn reached out to the Petland Chillicothe GM Kaylee Sturgill to see if Petland could help provide the family and their new puppies with the essentials they needed for a great start. The answer was overwhelmingly, “Yes!”

“Seeing what this family had just gone through, losing their home and their family pet, we knew we wanted to help,” said Sturgill. “Making sure the new puppies have everything they need to start off their new lives with the Woodruffs was the least we could do. Being part of the solution to bring some joy to the family during this devastating time was something we knew we had to do.”

For the Woodruffs, the journey to rebuild will be long, but it’s already clear they won't be doing it alone. With the compassion of firefighters and the generosity of Petland, their story is no longer just about loss. It’s about love, community, and the power of the human-animal bond to come together to heal.

Petland Charities covered the cost of the Woodruff Family’s Petland shopping spree, allowing them to get the nutrition, bedding, toys, and equipment to give their new pets a great start. To learn more about Petland Charities, visit petlandcharities.org.