A man working from home knew that desperate times call for desperate measures when the fire alarm went off, forcing him to improvise while gathering his roommate's pets to evacuate -- and what he used went viral, with over 17.3 million views on TikTok.
Taylor, known on TikTok as @taylorelson, told Newsweek via email that he was in the middle of a work meeting when the fire alarm went off in his apartment building. A blaze sparked in an apartment at the end of his hallway on the fifth floor. He said the fire department contained the flames before they spread to other units, but he still needed to evacuate and bring his roommate's pets with him.
"This was the first time I had been through something like this, and I knew that the elevators would be down in the event of a fire," he said. "...All I could think was to grab what I could, which ended up being a small bag with my laptop, passport, etc. and my roommate's animals."
Taylor and his roommate, Sabrina, have been friends for over 15 years, he said. She has two pets, Beau, a blue heeler-pit mix, and a black cat named Frankie. Both are about 10 years old. He's known them their entire lives, and they're comfortable with him, which proved helpful during the fire since Sabrina was at work.
Taylor felt comfortable grabbing Beau, as he often walks the dog during his breaks. He became concerned about Frankie, given the rush he was in to get them out of the apartment.
"I knew my roommate had a cat carrier somewhere; I just didn't know where and didn't have time to search for it," he said. "The animals were already really freaked out as the alarms were extremely loud and hurting my own ears, so I can't even imagine theirs."
His September 25 TikTok video gave viewers a glimpse into the chaotic evacuation. He quickly walked through the hallway with Beau on the leash. As for Frankie, Taylor did the first thing that came to mind: He grabbed a grocery bag and put Frankie inside, allowing him to easily bring the cat with him as he rushed his way outside.
And luckily, Frankie did not protest. He sat in his makeshift carrier, poking his head out to see what was happening as the alarm blared through the hallway.
His innovative thinking went viral, reaching over 17.3 million views, 3.4 million likes and 11,600 comments as of Monday.
"That cat was like, 'Yk what, this seems serious, I'm not even gonna fight with you on this,'" wrote one viewer.
Another added: "The cat knows this is NOT a game."
Several TikTok users applauded Taylor for thinking about his roommate's pets: "Dude, we don't care that you put the cat in the grocery bag. Thank you for thinking about them."
An article from the American National Red Cross reported that fires are the most common disaster to which the organization responds, making it important for pet parents to be prepared. The Red Cross believes the best way to protect them is to include them in the family plan.
Owners should consider having a disaster supplies kit for their pets and prearranging a safe place for them to stay in case they need to leave their home. Also, practice the escape plan and practice with your pets. Be sure they are trained to come when called.
The Red Cross also stressed the importance of never delaying escape or endangering yourself or family to rescue a family pet.