An 11-year-old pug in Idaho is being hailed as a hometown hero after saving his family from a house fire.

Jaxson's family said the pug barked in a different way than normal on Aug. 29, according to KBOI. When owner Todd Lavoie went to investigate, he saw sparks coming from an electrical outlet. A small fire started, which Lavoie was able to put out with a fire extinguisher.

The Meridian Fire Department arrived to inspect the house and credited the alert pooch with sparing the family any significant property damage.

On Tuesday, Jaxson became the first animal to receive the town's Hometown Hero Award. He also received a special firefighter badge.

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Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport domestic terminal on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, the first day of the Federal Aviation Administration cutting flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

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