'Hugging Dog' Of Instagram Left Homeless In Chelsea Fire

CHELSEA, NY — Instagram's beloved "hugging dog" was left homeless in a devastating Chelsea fire on Christmas Day, according to his owner.

Loubie the golden retriever and her owner Cesar Fernandez-Chavez were left homeless in a massive blaze that engulfed much of their Chelsea apartment building on Christmas, Fernandez-Chavez said on Instagram.

The fire broke out on West 19th Street at about 3:35 p.m. on Monday, authorities said. The fire left one civilian and one firefighter with minor injuries, authorities said. It's unclear how the blaze started.

Loubie, who is famous on Instagram and throughout the streets of Chelsea for "hugging" people who stop to pet her, was out for a walk with Fernandez-Chavez when the blaze broke out.

"I was going for a walk with my dog. And then when we got to the corner that's when we saw the fire coming out of the building," Fernandez-Chavez told the New York Daily News, which was first to report the news of Loubie and her owner's situation. "I'm just happy that Loubie and I were safe."

"We lost everything today but we are safe, " Fernandez-Chavez said in an Instagram post on Christmas. "We will always try to bring a smile to our page, but this time we need your hugs and prayers."

An online fundraiser started by Fernandez-Chavez's friend had raised more than $27,000 as of Tuesday morning.

Image credit: Courtesy of GoFundMe