Photo of man holding dead dog is very touching, isn’t from Cape Town

In the… well, in the “duringmath” (it’s like an aftermath, but for an ongoing event, see?) of the Muizenberg Fire, this heartbreaking photo has been doing the rounds:

deaddog …described as:

This man is holding his dog who passed on due to smoke inhalation. This picture was taken just after firefighters brought her out. Dogs aren’t just pets. Dogs are family.

or like this:

That tweet in response to this post, by the way. [link now expired. sadness.]

Yes. Very touching – and at least partially true (see below) – but this isn’t from Cape Town.

This is from Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. Here’s the story from the 31st January this year via the (paywalled) Reading Eagle:

On Friday, five dogs died after a fire broke out in the second floor of a northwest Reading, Pennsylvania row home. One of the dog’s owners, Shamel English was devastated at the loss of his pitbull named Gemini. Eleven people lost their home, reports the Reading Eagle.

The fire may have started from an electrical problem. Authorities are investigating.

Amanda Moser, 31, her husband Shamel English and Moser’s mother, Diane Fritz were home when the fire broke out. The family managed to usher their two dogs out the door, but for an unknown reason Gemini ran back into the burning home.

“She must have gotten scared and then ran straight back into the house. They (firefighters) brought her out, but by then she had passed on,” the grieving dog parent English stated. “She was more than a dog; she was a part of our family.”

Firemen tried their best to resuscitate Gemini, but it was too late. English carried her lifeless body to the porch, and grieved. English stated he found Gemini when she was only three-weeks-old wandering in an alley. She was reported to have been a sweet and friendly dog.

The other dogs that died in the fire were Chihuahuas.

English’s other pit bull named Poe survived the fire. He was safely tied up at a neighbor’s home.

Rest in peace Gemini.

It’s probably worth noting that he’s likely quite upset that he doesn’t have a house or any possessions any more either.
No, don’t throw sharp things at me. He is. You would be too, whether you had a dog or not.

So there you have it. Sad, yes. Cape Town, no.

Listen, I do appreciate the sentiment, but let’s not just pretend that every photo that fits our agenda happened this week in the Cape Town fires.

One big – huge, even – local newsworthy event doesn’t mean that you should forget your responsibility to not be a doos and share misinformation on the internet.

Please try to remember that.