King’s Recovery
Supporting a Detroit Dog After a House Fire
A recent house fire in Detroit left a family facing something no one is ever prepared for.
Davon and his girlfriend were able to escape, but in the confusion and fear of the moment, Davon realized their dogs were still inside. He went back for them, and was trapped.
Today, both Davon and his dog, King, are in the hospital, each receiving critical care. Their second dog is safe and in the care of Detroit Animal Care and Control (DACC) and will soon go to live with Davon’s father.
Davon and King survived the fire but suffered severe smoke inhalation. Davon is on a ventilator. His recovery will take time and intense medical treatment. King is currently being treated in a veterinary hospital, where he is receiving oxygen therapy in a hyperbaric chamber because his lungs are not yet strong enough without support. In two different settings, their care is intensive, carefully monitored, and — most importantly — giving them a real chance to recover.
King’s journey to this care began with the Detroit Fire Department, who brought him directly to DACC after the fire. Following an immediate veterinary assessment, Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control arranged for his transfer to an emergency veterinary hospital, where he could receive the advanced treatment he urgently needed.
King’s recovery remains uncertain. Smoke inhalation injuries are complex, and progress can be difficult to predict. What we do know is this: he and his family deserve the best chance possible, and that is exactly what this care is providing.
Why We’re Fundraising
King’s veterinary treatment is estimated at $10,000.
Our goal is to cover the full cost of his care so Davon’s family can focus on what matters most right now: healing and recovery.
This family is navigating a medical crisis without significant financial resources. Removing the burden of King’s medical expenses is one meaningful way we can help.
The Reality of the Human–Animal Bond
For many of us, the relationship we have with our pets is simple to explain but impossible to measure.
Pets are part of daily routines, emotional support systems, and family life. They are constants in homes and in hearts. In moments of crisis, that bond often becomes even more visible.
King is not just a pet to Davon’s family. Davon risked his life to go back for his dogs. King is deeply loved, and there is already a plan for his future: once medically cleared, King will continue his recovery in a medical foster home before eventually going to live with Davon’s father.
There is stability waiting for him. There is family waiting for him.
How You Can Help
We are asking for community support to fund King’s treatment.
Every donation directly contributes to his medical care and helps relieve financial pressure on a family experiencing an extraordinary situation.
If you are able to give, we hope you will consider supporting King’s recovery.
Donate below
Davon’s seven siblings, their families, and their church community are already rallying around both Davon and King.
This fundraiser allows the broader community to stand with them in a practical, tangible way.
Compassion does not have to be dramatic to be powerful. Sometimes, it simply means helping a family through a very difficult moment. ❤️
Veterinary Invoice Transparency
King’s emergency and intensive care through anticipated discharge totals $9,678.30 King Animal Care and Control CA….
Emergency veterinary hospitals require payment as treatment progresses, and King’s care has involved multiple days of round-the-clock monitoring and respiratory support.
His invoice reflects:
Oxygen therapy billed in 12-hour increments
Intensive hospitalization (AM, PM, and overnight care)
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment
Radiographs (x-rays)
Bloodwork and laboratory diagnostics
IV fluids and injectable medications
Nebulization treatments
Ongoing monitoring and burn care
For those who would like to review the full itemized invoice, it is available here:
[Download King’s Full Veterinary Invoice (PDF)]
We believe in transparency, and we are grateful for the community support that makes this level of care possible.
Update Friday, February 27, 2026
We’re grateful to share that King is continuing to make progress.
He has come out of the hyperbaric chamber, and his oxygen levels are stable. The burns in and around his mouth are healing, and his veterinary team remains cautiously optimistic about his continued recovery.
After discharge, King will transition to an experienced medical foster to continue healing, with follow-up bloodwork, x-rays, and ongoing burn care.
We are deeply thankful for the generosity shown so far. Every donation helps ensure King receives the full continuum of care he needs.
Update Sunday, March 1, 2026
The Reality of Recovery
King is now in the care of an experienced medical foster — and we are quickly learning that recovery from smoke inhalation and facial burns is not simple.
Over the phone, the discharge plan sounded manageable. In reality, it is intensive. King needs to eat half a can of food every four hours around the clock. He spends 20 minutes in a steamy bathroom four times a day to help loosen his lungs, followed by percussive chest therapy to move fluid and keep his airways clear. His days revolve around medications — antibiotics, pain management, anti-inflammatories, respiratory support — and then more medications. His foster is, quite simply, a saint.
Because of the burns both inside and outside his mouth, King struggles to get comfortable. The swelling and tenderness make it difficult for him to rest without irritation. But once he was given a donut pillow that allowed him to lay down without his mouth touching anything, something beautiful happened. He slept, and he snored.
Recovery is not linear. It is slow. It is hands-on. It is time-consuming. But it is happening.
We remain deeply grateful to everyone helping carry this burden — from the emergency veterinary team to the medical foster providing around-the-clock care, to every donor making this level of treatment possible.
If you would like to continue supporting King’s recovery, just scroll up to the donation form above.
Update: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
King is a Very Good Boy
King continues to recover in the loving care of his medical foster, and while the road ahead is still long, he is showing us every day what a resilient and gentle soul he is.
Because of the burns both inside and outside his mouth, King can only eat very soft foods while he heals. Hard kibble is simply too painful right now. Instead, he needs small, soft meals throughout the day to keep his strength up. Right now, he is eating about half a can of food every four hours.
His foster mom has been making him special soft meals like chicken, sweet potato, and eggs to help him stay nourished while his mouth continues to heal. And as you can see in the video, King is more than happy to enjoy them. Even after everything he has been through, he remains a very good boy.
We expect King will need soft food for quite some time, and some supporters have asked how they can help in a tangible way. Purina ONE canned dog food (especially Chicken & Rice) is what he is currently eating and tolerating well.. If you would like to help keep King well-fed during his recovery, you can send food directly through our Amazon wishlist:
If you prefer to send donations directly, you can also ship them to:
Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control
Attn: Board Member
1431 East Ferry St
Detroit, MI 48211
Every can helps keep King strong as he continues to heal.
King is also continuing his respiratory therapy. Several times a day, he spends about 20 minutes in a steamy bathroom to help loosen his lungs after the smoke inhalation he suffered in the fire.
Afterward, his foster provides gentle chest percussion therapy to help him clear his airways. It’s not glamorous care, but it is incredibly important to his recovery.
If you would like to support King’s ongoing veterinary care, you can also donate using the form above.
We will continue sharing updates as this very good boy keeps making progress.
Update: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
When this journey began, recovery chances for both King and Davon were uncertain due to the severe damage to their lungs from the fire. Today, we are incredibly grateful to share much better news.
Davon is awake! After days of uncertainty, he has come out of the medically induced coma, is off the ventilator, and has even been up and walking around the hospital. Doctors have also confirmed that a tracheostomy will not be needed. His recovery will still take time, but the progress he has made is truly encouraging.
King is also continuing to improve! Thanks to the exceptional care he received at the emergency veterinary hospital and the dedicated support of his medical foster, King is getting stronger every day. He continues his steam treatments multiple times a day to support his lungs and remains on several medications as his body heals. He has started to eat very small amounts of kibble, mixed with soft food and boiled chicken. He kept it down without any problems. Veterinarians are also optimistic that his burns will not require surgical debridement, which is wonderful news. He will continue his at-home treatments and will have follow-up x-rays soon to monitor his lungs.
Most importantly, King’s personality is shining through again. As you can see in the video, he’s getting back to being his happy, wiggly, playful, affectionate self.
Both King and Davon still have healing ahead of them, but we are hopeful for the day when they can finally be reunited.
If you would like to support King’s continued veterinary care and recovery, please scroll up to the donation form above. The generosity of you and our entire community has helped make this progress possible.
Update: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
The Kind of Healing You Can See
King is healing — and not just in the ways you measure on a chart.
The burn on his face is still there and still part of his story, but it’s responding very well to medication. Thanks to his medical foster’s steady, attentive care, King has been able to avoid surgical debridement. That’s especially good news given the damage to his lungs from the fire and the risks that would come with anesthesia. That alone feels like a miracle.
Day to day, his life is starting to look more like a dog’s life again.He pl ays with toys. He naps belly-up on the couch. He stretches out like he’s finally comfortable in his own body again.
There’s still more ahead. King has another round of x-rays coming up, and we’re hopeful they’ll show continued healing and that he can be medically cleared from this phase of care.
So far, this community has helped raise $2,690 toward the more than $10,000 needed for King’s treatment. We’re incredibly grateful — and we’re not done yet.
If you’d like to support the rest of his recovery, just scroll up to the donation form.
Every step forward he takes has been made possible by a lot of people showing up — his medical foster, the veterinary team, and all of you.
Warning: Graphic Photos Below
The following images show the burns King sustained to his mouth. They are difficult to look at, but we are sharing them in the spirit of transparency and to help explain the level of care he requires.
If you prefer not to view graphic medical images, please stop scrolling here.
