Tony James never imagined that he’d end up living out of his car with a dog and a 250-pound pig.

In June, 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, their luck changed: team members from Portland Fire & Rescue’s Community Health Assess and Treat program saw the trio and stepped in to help. Less than 24 hours later, the city was in the process of setting up travel

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