Finding yourself in a burning building is a frightening idea, no matter how big you are or how many legs you walk on. Just the same, everybody who ends up in such a situation deserves help, and it’s always a joy to see nobody get left behind.
Around a couple of weeks ago, firefighters in Soap Lake, Washington, got a call about a house on fire with many requiring rescue. Once on the scene, being professionals as they are, they rescued every occupant they could, including a 30-year-old tarantula. Scroll down to learn more about it!
More info: TikTok
Being trapped by fire is equally scary and dangerous to every live creature, and nobody should be left behind
Image credits: source_one_news (Instagram)
Firefighters were called in to deal with a huge house fire that broke out in Soap Lake, Washington
On Saturday, October 12th, around 6 p.m., a fire broke out near Elder and 2nd Avenue in Soap Lake, Washington, severely damaging a single family’s home and putting everyone inside in grave danger. Upon receiving a call, multiple fire crews responded, arriving as soon as possible.
When the firefighters arrived on the scene, they were greeted with smoke visible from all 4 corners of the building. Without wasting a single moment, the heroes got to work and knocked down the primary fire, allowing them to enter the building and search for occupants.
Image credits: Jonathan Cooper / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Sami Aksu / Pexels (not the actual photo)
They dealt with the fire, and while there were no humans, they managed to rescue 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a 30-year-old tarantula named Twinkie
There were no humans inside, but the house was far from empty. The firefighters didn’t manage to save 1 dog, but fortunately, they rescued the other 3, as well as 2 cats and a senior spider, who is actually the reason for this story going viral.
The arachnid, adorably named Twinkie, turned out to be a 30-year-old tarantula, which very likely gave her seniority status over at least a few of this house’s other occupants. In fact, there’s a decent chance that she was also older than the firefighter who rescued her.
This kind of news brought quite a lot of joy to people online, especially those who love spiders. Everybody was really happy that the fire crew executing the rescue operation didn’t discriminate and took care of everyone, even if some of the rescuees might’ve appeared a little scarier than others.
Image credits: Rejean Bisson / Pexels (not the actual image)
If being around arachnids is up your alley, tarantulas can make for some really nice pets. According to this article on Tom’s Big Spiders, these animals are actually very fascinating, which makes observing such a creature doing things like feeding truly captivating.
Additionally, they live a long time, often reaching 20-30 years, and sometimes more. And while they don’t require a lot of space, setting up terrariums can become quite a hobby, making your life more interesting.
And if you’re worried about having to put in a lot of work, they’re very low maintenance and inexpensive, which makes caring for them easy in almost every way. They’re also quiet and don’t require a lot of socialization, so they don’t necessarily require the company of their kin.
Image credits: Mike_68 / Pixabay (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Nareeta Martin / Unspalsh (not the actual photo)
Of course, there’s always the other side, too. As per PETA, tarantulas are almost always terrified of humans, and so you likely won’t become friends with them. Moreover, since their eyes are pretty bad, there’s a good chance that they won’t even recognize you, at least by sight.
Their longevity can also be a plus or a minus, depending on the owner and the situation. The fact that they have urticating hair and are venomous natural escape artists who will likely use every chance to get away and hide in the smallest corners can complicate things for some people even more.
Image credits: Nora Melbourne / Pexels (not the actual image)
However, in the end, it’s up to you to decide. Something that seems scary to one person might very well sound super fun to another. Just think of this Tarantula named Twinkie. The name alone makes her appear cute.
What did you think about this story? Have you ever owned a spider? Share it all in the comments below!
The commenters were surprised at how old the spider was, but they were all very happy to learn about this news and that the tarantula was treated so humanely
