Being a board member of the Sebastian County Humane Society, I already know the power of good that comes from shelter dogs. This story just amazes even me.
Just over a year ago, a shleter dog in Michigan was near death. The 2-year-old dog had broken legs, ribs and a belly full of carpet, but was rescued by a shelter and adopted into a loving home.
Now, a year later, the dog’s the one doing the rescuing.
The medium-sized mixed-breed named Peanut suddenly started barking uncontrollably while inside her home in Escanaba, Michigan, Friday morning. The behavior was certainly unusual for the ordinarily shy pup.
She ran up and down the stairs, barking and yelping until her owner finally let her outside. Once the door opened, the dog barreled into an open field behind the house -- her confused owner following close behind.
Eventually, the dog stopped in front of a ditch, and looked back at her owner.
At first, the man pulled on the dog’s collar to turn back, but then he took a closer look and saw a naked little girl curled up into a ball, shivering uncontrollably in the freezing temperatures. Quickly, he hopped into the ditch and wrapped her in his shirt, running back home with Peanut on his heels.
The family called 911 as they covered the girl in blankets to warm her up.
“By the time the ambulance and police arrived, the little girl could only say one thing -- ‘doggie,’” the dog’s owner explained in a letter to the Delta Animal Shelter, where they adopted the dog last April. “Thanks to Peanut, a little girl’s life was saved.”
Michigan’s Delta County Sherrif’s Office confirmed the family’s story in a news statement on Monday, crediting the canine for alerting his owner to the child’s presence.