According to the reports, the dog was desperately trying to get people's attention.
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“At first police thought she was a dog on the loose, but then realized the pit bull was on a mission to get help.
On Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. Sadie – a 60-pound pit bull – was found wandering the streets of Tuckahoe barking up a storm.”
Police tried to catch her but Sadie bolted back to her home on Fairview Avenue with cops in hot pursuit. When they got there they said they noticed the sliding door in the backyard was open.
“When they went to investigate they noticed an odor of gas emanating from the doorway,” Rotta told CBS2’s Scott Rapoport.
It turns out there was an actual gas leak in the home. Police believe Sadie ran from the house to get away from it and then led officers back to help.
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/02/07/hero-dog-save-owner-gas-leak/
If she had _led_ the police back to the house I would say yes, she was trying to save her family. Shes still a hero in my book.