Like Father, Like Dog 100-lb. Puppy Saves Life-Saver's Life

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Monday, September 3, 2001

Like Father, Like Dog
100-lb. Puppy Saves Life-Saver's Life

SENECA FALLS, NY (USA) — It pays to set a good example for your dog; you never know when it might save your life.

Emergency dispatcher Jim Leonard has handled more than his fair share of crisis situations in working with the Seneca County Sheriff's Department. He has received
five life-saving awards for meritorious performance, such as directing frantic callers through CPR procedures or complicated pregnancies; but last Monday his own life was saved by the unlikeliest candidate: "Zoey", a 7-month-old, 100-lb. (45kg) Rottweiler puppy.

The Finger Lakes Times reports that on Monday, August 27, Mr. Leonard was dead asleep after having worked the Sunday second shift at the sheriff's department. At 6:50am he was awakened by Zoey's sloppy tongue on his face (just as effective—albeit more saturated—as an air-raid siren).

Zoey had just been outside a few hours before, so Mr. Leonard initially dismissed the notice and tried to convince her to lie back down. But the persistent pooch continued to pour it on. Reluctantly, the man got up to take her for a walk outside.

Zoey's behavior remained highly irregular. First she stood in the kitchen doorway and refused to budge, and then, even after being coaxed outside with treats and praise, she refrained from doing her usual routine. After several minutes, Mr. Leonard called Zoey and headed back in.

Upon reentering his West River Road home, Mr. Leonard was immediately overcome by a noxious smell which turned out to be Methane, an extremely flammable gas. Apparently the gas had seeped in from the septic tank through a faulty trap in the bathtub. Zoey had detected the odor and awakened her pal long before the situation became threatening.

"She's my hero," says Mr. Leonard who credits their well-being to Zoey's superhuman atmospheric-contaminant-detection system (i.e., her snout). "She knew that it wasn't supposed to smell like that, and was smart enough to wake me up."

Mr. Leonard is very proud of his life-saving apprentice and plans to continue honing her special instincts. Next up... teaching her CPR? (*shudder*)