German Shepherd Saves Man With 911 Call

Buddy, the German Shepherd, not only can recognize when his companion is having a seizure, he can call for help too. It's the modern day version of Lassie running to save little Timmy in the well. John Stainaker of Scottsdale, Arizona, was having a severe seizure when his specially-trained German Shepherd, Buddy, picked up the phone and called 911. If you're like me, you may be wondering how Buddy's big old paws punched out 9-1-1 on the telephone. It seems Chihuahua paws might be better suited for such a task.

But the phone is designed so that if you hold down a button for more than three seconds, it automatically dispatches to the 911 operator. Buddy's teeth pressed down on the buttons and then he whimpered and whined to let the person on the other end know his companion needed help. All 911 operators are required to dispatch emergency personnel when called, even if they can't hear anyone on the other end of the line but a dog.

Stainaker got Buddy when he was eight-weeks-old from Paws for a Cause, an organization that trains assistance dogs nationally for people with disabilities. He said he helped train the dog to call 911 in case of one of his seizures. Good boy Buddy. Really good boy. Pet Examiner.com