Most probably wouldn't think much of a dog sitting in the middle of the street. Maybe, it's a stray. Maybe, someone's pet got loose when they weren't looking. But one Washington deputy felt that things didn't seem right. So he decided to follow the dog.
That's when the deputy discovered the dog's owner injured after taking a fall at his remote cabin. The man's dog, Gita, ran from the cabin and tried to bark for help to save her owner. That's when she crossed paths with a Stevens County Sheriff's deputy. Sheriff's deputy Wright was patrolling the animal when he came across the 13-year-old pup.
He tried to coax the animal into his car. But Gita refused.
"Wright tried to get the dog into his vehicle so he could attempt to find the owner, but the dog would not get in his vehicle," the sheriff's office said in a statement on Facebook shared on Oct. 1. "Wright proceeded to check the surrounding area residences within a mile and could not find the owner."
Dog Saves Owner
The deputy sensed something was amiss. He decided to try to get Gita into his car one more time. Instead, the dog took off down the road, and the deputy decided to follow the animal. "Wright followed the dog, and it led him to a small summer cabin," the sheriff's office wrote.
They found Gita's 84-year-old owner on the ground. He had an injured leg. "The 84-year-old-male, who also had other medical conditions needing regular medications, had fallen and injured his leg," the sheriff's office wrote. He had been calling for help for hours.
Police praise Gita as a hero and a true best friend.
"We credit Gita for saving his life that day. The loyalty and heroism of our furry friends never cease to amaze us," the office finished. "Thank you, Deputy Wright, for going to the extra effort, and thank you, Gita, for being a good girl and true hero!"
It's not the first time real-life Lassie's have saved someone's life. They are man's best friends after all. Fortunately, this story has a heartwarming ending.