Pits Are Us :Diamond:Hero Pit Bull Saves Family From Fire But No Apartments Will Rent

Diamond's owner, Darryl Steen, and his two daughters were asleep in their Hayward, California apartment on October 24 when the 15-month old Pit Bull started barking. The apartment was on fire. "She means everything to me. If it hadn't been for this dog, me and my girls wouldn't be alive," Steen said. Steen grabbed his 9-year-old daughter Darahne and dropped her to safety out of a second story He said he couldn't find his 16-year-old daughter, Sierra, who was hiding under a mattress in her father's room. But Diamond had found her, said firefighters who spotted the gray-and-white Pit Bull on the mattress shielding Sierra. Steen and Sierra were hospitalized for weeks with burns, and had to have skin grafts. Diamond spent six weeks at a pet hospital, being treated for burns and smoke inhalation. The bill was over $5,500 but people were so generous and there were so many donations, some money had to be sent back, Steen saidAnd on Wednesday, Diamond received the ultimate award when the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles presented her with their 29th annual National Hero Dog award. For 29 years the spcaLA has been recognizing the heroic efforts of a dog that is not formally trained for rescue or law enforcement. With her title, Diamond gets a plaque, dog food for a year, airfare to and from Los Angeles and hotel accommodations for her and her family. Steen and his daughters meanwhile, are now living with his sister in Hayward, California while Diamond is staying with their other relatives because they haven't been able to find an affordable Some people worry that she weighs nearly 50 pounds while others are concerned about her breed, he said. But Steen, who will be able to return to his job at a warehouse in June, won't give Diamond up, so he keeps looking. He hopes the award helps the apartment search: "Hopefully it will, and I'll be able to get a decent place with my dog." But yet for all her heroics, Diamond isn't without an Achilles' heel. "She likes the dog park and playing with me and the girls. But she doesn't like cats. She is scared of PITS ARE US LOVE YOU DIAMOND THE PITBULL [email protected]