Tony James never imagined that he’d end up living out of his car with a dog and a 250-pound pig.
In June 2025, a run of bad luck left the 44-year-old veteran without shelter in Portland after his appendix ruptured and left him unable to work his job as a sheet metal fabricator. A month later, his partner of 11 years died from a heart attack, leaving their dog Elvis, and their pet pig, Roscoe, without a home.
With few places left to turn , James and his animals were forced to live in the cramped confines of his hatchback, relying on the kindness of strangers for food.
On Monday afternoon, their luck changed: team members from Portland Fire & Rescue’s Community Health Assess and Treat program spotted the trio and stepped in to help. Less than 24 hours later, the city was in the proces

The Oregonian Public Safety

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