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A “hero” dog saved her elderly owner’s life by alerting police and leading them to the cabin where he was lying injured.
Gita the rescue dog has been hailed “a good girl” and “a true hero” after she refused to leave the area where her 84-year-old owner, unbeknown to police, had suffered a serious fall in rural Stevens County in Washington state.
Had it not been for the 13-year-old rescue, there could have been “serious consequences,” Stevens County Sheriff’s office said in a post about the remarkable story on their Facebook page.
Deputy Wright was patrolling a wooded area just over two weeks ago when he came across Gita sitting in the middle of the road.
“No residences were visible nearby,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Wright tried to get the dog into his vehicle so he could attempt to find the owner, but the dog would not get in his vehicle.”
The officer continued to try and locate the dog’s owner, checking the surrounding area within a mile, but had no success. He sensed “something was amiss.”
“He tried to get the dog off the roadway, and it took off up a slightly traveled, unmarked roadway,” the post continued. “Wright followed the dog, and it led him to a small summer cabin. He began checking around the area and observed an elderly male laying on the ground calling for help a short distance from the cabin.”
Gita had led the officer to the man, who had fallen and injured his leg. The elderly man had other medical conditions and needed regular medication, police added.
“It turns out the dog, Gita, is a 13-year-old rescue dog and best friend of the gentleman in trouble,” police said. “We credit Gita for saving his life that day. The loyalty and heroism of our furry friends never cease to amaze us.”
The sheriff’s office did not disclose any updates about the man’s condition, but the post concluded: “Thank you, Deputy Wright, for going to the extra effort and thank you Gita for being a good girl and true hero.”
A woman who said the 84-year-old owner is her mom’s cousin shared her appreciation.
“Thank you Deputy Wright and the Steven’s County Sheriff’s Office,” she said. “The man you saved is my 91yo mom’s cousin. We are very grateful you followed your instincts, experience, and Gita!”
Others praised the officer and Gita for their actions.
“Kudos to the officer for trusting their instincts and not ignoring this pup,” one person said.
“Wow that’s amazing you always hear about stories like that but never think it would actually happen. Thank you Gita and to the officer for saving that man’s life,” another said.
