We all remember the old TV series Lassie , about a clever collie who’s always able to save the day by alerting people to danger, like running for help when Timmy’s stuck in the well.
Although it sounds far-fetched, it turns out that the series isn’t too far removed from real life: we’ve seen plenty of stories of real, quick-thinking dogs who have saved lives by running for help in an emergency.
Such was the case recently, when a heroic German Shepherd led police to the scene of a car accident, helping to save its owner.
According to the New Hampshire State Police, on January 3, Trooper Sandberg and officers of the Lebanon Police Department saw a German Shepherd loose on the highway.
They tried to capture the dog, but it escaped onto the highway and crossed into Vermont. The officers followed – and soon realized that the dog wasn’t running away from them, but trying to lead them somewhere.
They discovered a damaged guardrail, which led them to a pickup truck damaged and overturned:
“Two occupants of the vehicle were found at the scene, ejected from the vehicle. They were alive but hypothermic and seriously injured”.
It turns out the German shepherd, named Tinsley, was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash – and the smart dog had run for help.
“It quickly became apparent that Tinsley had led Trooper Sandberg and the police to the crash site and the injured occupants,” the New Hampshire State Police wrote on Facebook.
Fortunately, Tinsley was not injured in the crash. Officers called for medical assistance for the injured men.
One of the men was Tinsley’s owner, Cam Laundry. He was proud of his dog’s quick wit and wasn’t surprised that she would take care of him in his time of need.
“He’s my little guardian angel,” Cam told CBS Boston. “It’s a miracle she has the intelligence to do what she did.” “She never leaves my side,” he told WMUR. “So we’re still together in that wrecked truck, she’s still my co-pilot, she’s still with me.”
And Tinsley continued to be there for his owner, even after saving his life: “the guardian angel” watched over him as he recovered from the incident.
“The whole time we started our patient care, he remained calm and pleasant right next to his owner,” said Captain Jack Hedges of the Hartford Fire Department.
Thank you, Tinsley, for saving the day! We’re so happy that everyone is alive and safe, thanks to this quick-thinking hero dog.
