People have always seemed to have a soft spot for heroic dogs. Whether it’s TV classics like Lassie or heart-warming family films like Homeward Bound, the idea of dogs rescuing their human masters (or even complete strangers) captures our love and affection as few other things do. So it’s only natural to love hearing about dogs that save people in real life! Here is one true account of a dog that saved a human from perilous circumstances:
A 17-pound beagle named Belle is more than man’s best friend; she’s a lifesaver. Belle recently received an award for biting onto owner Kevin Weaver’s mobile phone to call 911 after the diabetic man had a seizure and collapsed.
“There is no doubt in my mind that I’d be dead if I didn’t have Belle,” said Weaver, 34, whose blood sugar had dropped dangerously low. Belle had been trained to summon help in just those circumstances. She had been taught to bite down on the number 9 on his mobile phone contacting 911.
Belle was the first canine recipient to win the VITA Wireless Samaritan Award, given to someone who used a mobile phone to save a life, prevent a crime or help in an emergency.
Using their keen sense of smell, animals like Belle can detect abnormalities in a person’s blood-sugar levels. The dog periodically licks Weaver’s nose to take her own reading of his blood-sugar level. If something seems off to her, she will paw and whine at him.
“Every time she paws at me like that, I grab my meter and test myself,” Weaver said. “She’s never been wrong.”
