Heroes with Tails and Whiskers

And Then a Hero Comes Along

The stories of four-footed rescuers who have saved and inspired humans

By Katie Marsico


Up until this past August, I am ashamed to admit that I found myself lapsing into a lack of appreciation for my dogs. It’s not that I stopped adoring them; I just began taking for granted how valuable a role they play in my life. I realized this one Friday at about 10 a.m. Having recently returned home with my two small children after several hours of errands, the three of us—and our trio of aging, somewhat corpulent canines—were taking it easy in the living room. I suddenly and rather unexpectedly heard my doorknob turning, and the next thing I knew, my pups were barking, growling, and charging toward the hallway. Within seconds, I was on their heels and discovered that my front door was wide open and that someone was hastily exiting from the main entrance of our condo building. Upon calling the police and a locksmith, I learned two things: Our lock had been picked, and the general consensus was that our trusted pooches had frightened away whoever had attempted to break into my home.

I hesitate to think what might have happened had they not been present, and I’ve since stumbled upon an entirely rejuvenated sense of gratitude for what they mean to my family. Happily, my pets are not unique in their aptitude for saving lives.

If It Weren’t for Them . . .

Cathy Keesling of Newcastle, Indiana, certainly has an enhanced sense of esteem for her cat, Winnie. On the evening of March 24, 2007, Keesling was awakened by the 14-year-old Domestic Shorthair energetically nudging her ear and agitatedly meowing after she and her husband and son had gone to bed. When she finally awoke to the feline’s vociferous crying, Keesling realized that she felt ill and disoriented. Her family members were in worse condition, however, and couldn’t even be awakened from the dangerous slumber they had fallen into as a result of a carbon monoxide leak from a gasoline-powered water pump in their basement. Fortunately, Keesling was roused just in time to call 911.

“We were almost dead by that point,” she recalls. “But Winnie was absolutely determined to get us up. We’ve always loved her, of course, but now we obviously treat her like royalty.”

Lisa Hodge of Highland Heights, Kentucky, can empathize with Keesling’s appreciation for her pet. In 1997, Hodge was beginning her summer vacation in the Florida Keys with her two dogs, Beavis and Boo Boo, and had just boarded a sailboat moored in Key Largo. Beavis, a Chow mix, was then about 4, and surprised the exhausted Hodge by jumping on her and vigorously licking her face as she lay sleeping below deck. Initially annoyed by the canine’s pestering, she was abruptly alerted to the reason behind it. A terrible storm was brewing over the ocean waters, and her craft had begun shifting underneath the dock. Thanks to Beavis’ warning, Hodge was fortunately able to jump off the boat and scream for help before disaster struck.

“If it weren’t for him,” she says, “I would inevitably have woken up to a nightmare in which I would either have been adrift alone or facing water filling the hull of the boat where I slept. There is therefore no doubt in my mind that I’ll always consider my dog an animal hero for what he did.”

Motivations behind Making a Difference

While these stories easily trigger awe and admiration, they also raise interesting questions. Namely, what compels four-footed rescuers to save lives and circumvent tragedy? Yody Blass, a companion-animal behaviorist who serves clients in northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., argues that the animals’ actions may be the result of several factors.
“With most [pets] involved in an anecdotal story of rescue or alerting [guardians] to danger, I would say there is probably a combination of instinct, loyalty, and self-preservation at play,” Blass explains. “For example, a dog is undoubtedly emotionally attached to his family, and if he senses danger, he’s going to attempt to get the [guardian’s] attention through barking, pawing, whining, or body language. It is possible, however, that with house fires, intruders, and the like, the dog is also interested in ensuring his own safety or survival and hence acts out of a self-preservation instinct.”

Mary Kay Morel of Maineville, Ohio, agrees that her rescue story may have roots in a handful of these impetuses. Yet regardless of what rationale is used to explain animal heroism, she’s relieved that she had two Curly-Coated Retrievers named Destiny and Bruiser by her side as she traveled through Tennessee one night in 2002. As Morel walked the pair in a nearly deserted parking lot alongside a Days Inn, a disheveled stranger approached and demanded that she give him money. Destiny and Bruiser, whom she describes as “normally being the sweetest dogs you can imagine,” bristled, barked, lunged, and growled at the man, who ultimately retreated into the darkness.

“If they hadn’t behaved as they did, I would assuredly have been mugged or potentially worse,” Morel says. “They definitely guarded me out of instinct. As for loyalty, I believe that any of my dogs would lay down their lives to protect me.”

Everlasting Impacts

Animal heroes such as the aforementioned pets are sometimes formally recognized for their efforts, as was the case when Winnie was named Cat of the Year this fall by the ASPCA. Even if she hadn’t been officially honored, however, the affect she’s had on Keesling and those around her has inarguably been remarkable. “Sometimes I get looked at like I’m stupid or crazy when I say that Winnie saved our lives,” she says. “But then when I explain what happened, people tend to change their minds. I hear a lot of ‘I’d keep that cat if I were you!’ ”

For Hodge, the bond she shares with her canine rescuer has prompted her to savor their every moment together and to make a personal commitment to animals in need. Since she removed the now 14-year-old dog from an abusive situation several years ago, she has been stirred to assist others like him as a way of saying thank you for the tremendous rewards Beavis has brought to her life. “I realize he’s growing older,” she reflects, “and I understand his time is limited. When he goes, he will be truly missed. But his impact on me will live on. I now volunteer in animal rescue and pledge to continue to help pets who need a new start and a fresh opportunity to live to their full potential.”

As for me and my band of furry ruffians, there’s no bounty of bones or litany of praise that will ever adequately express my appreciation for their protection. At the very least, however, I know that I’ll forever see them as more than mere pets and I’ve come to comprehend how heroes often sport tails and whiskers.