June 20, 2006
Dog saves owner life by "dialing" his cell phone
This story has been all over the news here. According to The Washington Post, a dog named Belle saved his owner's life by dialing 911 on his cell phone - and thus became the first canine recipient to win the VITA Wireless Samaritan Award, given to someone who used a cell phone to save a life, prevent a crime or help in an emergency".
The beagle's owner, Kevin Weaver had a diabetic seizure and collapsed. Belle had been trained to summon help in just those circumstances.
"In the throes of a diabetic seizure, the beagle's owner, Kevin Weave, was lying unconscious on his kitchen floor, when Belle located his phone and bit down on the keypad, triggering a call.
The only thing emergency dispatchers heard was barking, but it was enough cause to send help, they reasoned.
The training for diabetic-alert dogs is not unlike the education provided to guide dogs for the visually impaired. But instead of learning to act as someone's guide, the animals are schooled to sense when their handlers' blood sugar is too high or low."
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