man's best friend is a also a lifesaver

From Associated Press

Rover, call me an ambulance _ dog calls 911
By AMANDA LEE MYERS – 14 September 2008

PHOENIX (AP) — "Man's best friend" doesn't go far enough for Buddy — a German shepherd who remembered his training and saved his owner's life by calling 911 when the man had a seizure. And it's not the first time Buddy has been there for owner Joe Stalnaker, a police officer said Sunday. On a recording of the 911 call Wednesday, Buddy is heard whimpering and barking after the dispatcher answers and repeatedly asks if the caller needs help.

"Hello, this is 911. Hello ... Can you hear me? Is there somebody there you can give the phone to," says the dispatcher, Chris Trott.

Police were sent to Stalnaker's home, and after about three minutes Buddy is heard barking loudly when the officers arrived.

Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said Stalnaker spent two days in a hospital and recovered from the seizure.

"It's pretty incredible," Clark said. "Even the veteran dispatchers — they haven't heard of anything like this."

Clark said police are dispatched whenever 911 is called, but that Stalnaker's address was flagged in Scottsdale's system with a notification that a trained assistance dog could call 911 when the owner was incapacitated.

Clark said Stalnaker adopted Buddy at the age of 8 weeks from Michigan-based Paws with a Cause, which trains assistance dogs, and trained him to get the phone if he began to have seizure symptoms. Buddy, now 18 months old, is able press programmed buttons until a 911 operator is on the line, Clark said.

Clark said Buddy has made two other 911 calls when Stalnaker was having seizures.

He said Stalnaker's seizures are the result of a head injury he suffered about 10 years ago during a military training exercise.

Stalnaker was not listed in the phone book, and he did not immediately respond to a request through police for an interview.

Here is the original press release from the Scottsdale Police Department

Assistance Dog Dials 911 For Help
Event date: Friday, September 12, 2008, from 4:35 PM to 4:35 PM


Buddy and Joe

Hear the 911 call: Buddy's_911 call *(wav file)

Scottsdale, Arizona
12 September 2008

The Scottsdale Police 911 call center received a 911 call on September 10 at about 11:45 AM. The 911 operator, Chris Trott, a veteran police dispatcher, had never had a call like this before. This call was from a dog. On the other end of the phone, she heard the whimpering and barking of “Buddy”, a trained assistance dog.

“Buddy” is an 18 month old German shepherd. He was trained by his owner, Joe, to call 911 whenever he has a seizure. Joe was injured while serving his country in the US military and the injuries cause him to have seizures and blackouts. He got buddy through the help of “Paws with a Cause” assistance animal adoption service.

Joe got “Buddy” as an 8 week old puppy. He has trained Buddy to recognize when he is having a seizure and respond by grabbing the phone and bringing it to Joe. If Joe cannot place the call, Buddy pushes the buttons with his teeth until the programmed speed-dial keys dial 911. When Buddy ears the operator say, “911, what is your emergency”, he puts the phone down and whimpers as if he’s in distress. The 911 system matches the call to the address and emergency help is instantly on the way. In this case, officers got to Joe in just over 2 minutes from the time Buddy placed the call.

Officers found Joe in distress from one of his more severe seizures. Paramedics arrived and took him to the hospital. Buddy, of course, rode in the ambulance with Joe.

After 2 days in the hospital, Joe has recovered from the seizure. He is thankful for his faithful companion and lifesaver, Buddy.



Media Contact: Sgt. Mark Clark
480.312.1910
pio@scottsdaleaz.gov

vision


Quite interesting that the Arizona Republic newspaper picked up the story from AP rather than sending a reporter to Scottsdale to talk to the police department directly. Surely AP didn't have a monopoly on the story.

I wonder if I can teach and old dog new tricks? Hmmm... I've just pretended to collapse in the kitchen and Kane didn't even move from where he was laying.

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I have been watching season 2 of the HBO series Rome.