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Animal rescue!
Anyone who keeps a pet knows that our furry friends offer us more than just something warm and snuggly to cuddle on the sofa. It's a fact that animals have been instrumental in helping humans to feed and clothe themselves and to tackle dangerous and stressful situations ever since our distant ancestors came out of the caves and down from the trees.
In 2001, Allen Parton, a disabled war veteran, was knocked out of his wheelchair by a passing car. The driver did not stop and no one was there to help. No-one that is, apart from his helper dog Endal.
The dog had already provided his assistance in helping Parton with household chores and could even operate a cash machine. However, after the hit and run, Endal pulled Parton, who was unconscious, into the recovery position, retrieved his mobile phone from beneath the car, fetched a blanket and covered him, barked at nearby dwellings for assistance, and then ran to a nearby hotel to obtain help.
Endal, a golden Labrador, received awards including Dog of the Millennium. He has since been filmed by over 300 film crews from around the world, and has a number of world "firsts" as an assistance dog to his credit.
Labrador dogs don’t just help individuals. Recruited to search for victims of natural or man-made disasters, they have often proved their worth. Jake served as a rescue dog at the World Trade Center site following 9/11 for 17 days, finding survivors despite the physical hazards of Ground Zero, including sharp debris and suspected unhealthy air.
Jake also served in his search and rescue team following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Jake, along with his Utah Task Force, drove over 30 hours from Utah to Mississippi to help search for survivors and victims of following the hurricane's landfall.
Not to be left out by their canine counterparts, cats too have also proved surprising heroes. In 2006, a cat saved the life of a newborn baby abandoned on the doorstep of a house in Cologne, Germany. During the in the middle of the night, neighbours were awoken by loud meowing. Upon investigation, they found a new-born baby on the lawn. Since the outside temperature was below zero, the baby could have died. Because of the cat’s intervention, the baby boy was taken to hospital having suffered only mild hypothermia.
Feathered as well as furry creatures have been honoured for their heroism. Mary of Exeter, a pigeon that made four flights carrying messages back from wartime France during the second world war, returning seriously injured each time. On her last return shrapnel damaged her neck muscles, but her owner, an Exeter cobbler, made her a leather collar which held her head up and kept her going for another 10 years. Mary is honoured and remembered by the MOD for her contribution to the war effort.
But Endal, the Dog of the Millennium, is thankfully still helping his owner and making public appearances. Now, how much would pet insurance be for a such an invaluable creature be? Some things are impossible to put a price on.
Want to talk to fellow animal lovers about heroic pets? You could do worse than log on to the Digital Spy forums – there's a place for every topic. And don't forget to get your personal pet-hero insured – get a pet insurance quote from Sainsbury's - awarded 'Best Online Pet Insurance Provider 2008' and 'Best Overall Online Provider 2007' by Your Money magazine.
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