Dog named 'Hero' kept stuck owner warm and safe from coyotes for 2 days: police
A dog named Hero lived up to his name earlier this week after spending two days by his stranded master's side, keeping his owner warm and even fending off coyotes while the man waited to be rescued from a muddy ditch in southern Alberta.
The dog's bravery and devotion have earned widespread plaudits online and prompted one local animal rescue organization to raise money to cover vet bills for Hero and other pets inadvertently drawn into the 48-hour saga.
"It touched my heart. I cried almost immediately just hearing this story. It's heartwarming," Alana McPhee, acting president of the Taber Lost Paws Society, said in an interview Saturday.
The ordeal for Hero and his owner began on Thursday morning when Taber police said they received a complaint about a possibly injured dog at large north of the community's sugar factory.
Officers went to check it out and couldn't find the animal, but got another complaint a few hours later from a man who told them he and his dog were both bitten by a large dog in the same area.
Officers went to the property again and spotted what they described as an Akita-cross laying on a berm. When they got closer, they began hearing cries for help.
A 61-year-old man from Taber was located near the dog in a muddy ditch that was hidden behind tall grasses, and he told police he'd been stuck there for two days while his dog stayed nearby and protected him.
McPhee said her not-for-profit group has an arrangement to care for dogs when their owners are affected by crime and crisis, so Hero was brought to their shelter after being checked by a vet. She said a staff member who is neighbours with Hero's owner knew he also owned another Akita named Tora and quickly phoned the town's bylaw department out of concern.
They were already looking for Tora, McPhee said, and found her in her owner's yard suffering from what looked at first like a broken leg. It turned out her leg had been broken before, and screws in a rod in her leg had come loose.
"We're not sure how that happened but I'm going to guess she probably went back and forth between the site where her owner was and her home quite a few times over the course of those two days. And it could have been from fighting -- we don't know exactly," McPhee said, noting Tora didn't appear to have puncture wounds.
She said Hero, meanwhile, had a few scratches but was otherwise OK.
The animal owned by the man who reported a dog bite and unwittingly led to the rescue of Hero's owner had "quite substantial injuries," McPhee said.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by her organization — which had raised just shy of $3,000 as of Saturday evening — is raising money to help with vet bills for both Hero and that dog, which McPhee believes is a Rottweiler cross named Jack. It will also help pay for treatment to repair the screws in Tora's leg, she added.
Police said on social media that when the man learned the circumstances of why Hero bit him and his dog, he was "understanding of the situation" and was grateful Hero's owner was rescued.
"(Hero) was being protective. That dog probably had not eaten for several days. He was incredibly stressed and, obviously, powerless to help his owner. He had to fight off coyotes," McPhee said.
"We see it all the time in the shelter just how loyal and amazing dogs are."
When contacted Saturday afternoon, the Taber police did not have an immediate update on the condition of Hero's owner, but McPhee said she believed he was still recovering in hospital.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2024
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Baby and grandparents killed in wrong-way crash involving police on Ontario's Highway 401
An infant and the child's grandparents – aged 55 and 60 – were all killed when a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. caused a crash involving at least six vehicles, the Special Investigations Unit says. The driver of the suspect vehicle also died.
Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. If he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
This is how many dentists have actually signed up for Canada's new free dental program
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 13-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a east London suburb early Tuesday, killing a 13-year-old boy and injuring four others, authorities said.
Police searching for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S., residents asked to shelter in place
Residents in the area of Gaston Road in Dartmouth, N.S., are being asked to shelter in place as police search for an armed suspect.