People who have adopted their pets from a shelter can relate to the oft-expressed sentiment, “Who rescued whom?” Our rescued animals offer so much unconditional love and care to us that we feel that rescuing them from the shelter was a minor act by comparison.
But for a New Jersey resident and dog owner named Brian, the who-rescued-whom concept turned out to be more than just a touching tribute to beloved pets. Just months after adopting a German shepherd from the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge in Oakland, New Jersey, Brian’s new dog saved his life.
Sadie, a 6-year-old German shepherd, had been abruptly surrendered by her previous owner, leaving Sadie distressed and confused. As a result, she was difficult to place with a new owner because her behavior could be unpredictable and overly protective.
Brian was patient with Sadie’s initially anxious behavior, and he worked hard to build a bond with her. Even though Sadie was noted to be particularly hesitant and aggressive around men, Brian was able to win Sadie’s trust thanks to his patient nature.
Just a short while after adopting Sadie, Brian suffered a stroke while home alone. Sadie kept Brian awake, licking his face and keeping him focused as she helped him drag himself across the house to reach his cell phone. She stayed by her new owner every step of the way and helped him to access the life-saving care he needed.
The animal shelter shared the amazing story on their Facebook page.
A Very Special RBARI Story! RBARI Alumni Sadie saved owner’s life, as she drags him to help after suffering a…
Posted by Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge on Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Now, while Brian recuperates in the hospital, he FaceTimes his hero pup every night so that she knows he didn’t forget about her.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has strained animal shelters that are already at capacity. Shelters report that there has been an increase in pet abandonment, perhaps because people no longer have stable housing or funds to care their pets.
Donating money, supplies and time to animal shelters can help to ease this burden. Visit Best Friends: Save Them All or Who Rescued Who to get started.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
