*The Atlanta homeless man who rescuded six dogs and 10 cats out of a burning animal shelter is getting new housing and a therapist for his heroic efforts.
We previously reported, when the fire broke out on December 18 at W-Underdogs animal shelter, Keith Walker, 53, sprang into action. He happened to be on the scene to pick up his own pit bull Bravo, where the shelter’s founder, Gracie Hamlin, allowed the beloved pooch to stay every night, PEOPLE reported.
“I was nervous as hell, I’m not going to lie. I was really scared to go in there with all that smoke. But God put me there to save those animals,” Walker said in interview with CNN. “If you love a dog, you can love anyone in the world. My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn’t be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs.”
Walker rescued every animal in the shelter, which included 10 cats and six dogs.
READ MORE: Atlanta Animal Shelter Catches Fire, Homeless Man Rescues Every Dog and Cat Inside
Hamlin told CNN that the fire department “called animal control, but Keith was already in the building pulling out the cats and dogs until they were all safe,” she said. “I can’t thank him enough for saving my animals. I’m still in disbelief, because I’ve been around a fire and I know how fast they flare up. He is my hero.”
A GoFundMe campaign was set up for Walker, and a second campaign was dedicated to helping W-Underdogs’ recovery efforts.
Darlene Schultz, CEO of the local organization Georgia Works, told TMZ that her program will supply Walker with housing in Atlanta, set him up with a licensed therapist, and teach him job-readiness skills.
W-Underdogs previously said in a Facebook post that the blaze was caused by an electrical fire, and the entire building was left uninhabitable.
The company also noted that all the animals “are happy, warm, safe, and comfortable in their new temporary home.”
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