Posted on 02/03/2007 1:31:35 PM PST by MissEdie
THOMASVILLE, Ga. — A bruised and battered south Georgia woman credits a wayward German shepherd with rescuing her after her car careened down an embankment, tossing her through the rear window and leaving her sprawled, cut and bleeding, on the vehicle's trunk. Thirty-six-year-old Shannon Lorio said the dog, which has since been given the name "Hero," pulled her by her collar off the trunk and dragged her about 50 yards through briars to the edge of a highway and let her lean against him so that she could stand up and flag a passing motorist. Officials of the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society, which runs the local animal shelter — now Hero's temporary home — were so impressed with the victim's account they have arranged to have Hero evaluated for search and rescue work. "That dog is always going to have a special place in my heart," Lorio said Friday during a tearful reunion with the dog. "He's my hero." Lorio, who still has scratches and bruises on her arms and legs, spent most of a night in the hospital, until she insisted on being released. She still walks with a limp. Cuts on her left elbow are held closed by more than 20 metal staples. She had her first reunion with Hero yesterday, when she arrived with her mother-in-law with gifts for the dog, including a large pillow, a stuffed animal and a bone almost as big as a rolling pin. When Lorio returned today, she hugged and kissed Hero as he plopped down on the pillow and began crunching the bone with his strong jaws. She said — quote — "If he ever needs anything, I'll be there." She said she can't adopt Hero because she already has six dogs.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
A lot of breeders had only bred for size and appearence years ago,that put a lot of bad minded dogs on themarket.I found the best dogs come from imported bloodlines since the Germans and Austrians don't stupid breedings.The dog we just bought came from a lady who specializes in police dogs.The dog is just great,smart,and well socialized.At 4 months old she drive a horse away from me when she thought it was threatening me.1200lb horse vs 35 lbs pup but she did it.
A little more from the local paper. They think he is well taken care of and may have a family, also may have helped rescue a family from fire.
Shelter housing dog hero
Shepherd credited with aiding wreck victim
By Teresa Williams
THOMASVILLE — The Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society is looking for the owner(s) of a heroic canine.
Kim Arrington, director of operations, said Tuesday that the shelter is looking for the owners of a male German shepherd with red and black coloring.
“He’s beautiful and has more red than black,” she said. “We picked him up Friday night on Dillon Road, where he helped a woman find her way out of the woods after a bad accident.”
Capt. David Johnson of the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that the incident report indicated that the driver of the vehicle said she was “ejected from the vehicle and assisted out of the woods by a canine.”
Arrington said the humane society has also heard rumors of the dog being seen at a house fire on Hall Road one to two weeks ago.
“We’ve heard that he helped a family out of a burning house,” she said.
Johnson said without more specific information, there is no way for him to verify if those reports are true.
Arrington encouraged anyone with information on the dog’s home to call 228-0613 or come by the humane society, located at 180 Big Star Dr.
“This dog has been well taken care of,” she said. “He’s a hero.”
If the dog is not claimed, said Arrington, he will be put up for adoption.
“We’ll hold him for six days to wait for the owner to reclaim him,” she said. “If the owners are not found we’ll put him up for adoption to an approved adopter next Tuesday.”
http://www.timesenterprise.com/local/local_story_030231043.html
Another suggestion is to go to a dog show, maybe a breed specific show. This way you can see their dogs and talk to the breeders.
I would stay away from the dogs with the low hips, that seems to be an American bred thing.
Great story. Angels come in many forms.
Amazing story, thanks for the ping.
And Muslims don't like dogs...
I am a cat lover but heros, nah. It would never happen.
Runaway canine saves woman's life
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/020307/nation_20070203030.php
If the dog is not claimed, said Arrington, he will be put up for adoption.
“We’ll hold him for six days to wait for the owner to reclaim him,” she said. “If the owners are not found we’ll put him up for adoption to an approved adopter next Tuesday.”
That sounds really sad, specially under the circumstances. This animal is special, and deserves all the special treatment that he can get, before separating him from the family that "well-cared" for him. Six days seems unreasonable.
He might have gotten lost.
He might have run away months ago.
He might have been stolen from hundreds of miles away and then abandoned.
He might have been separated from family during a cross-country move.
Six days? Sounds unreasonable.
Is cost the primary driving factor?
"those noble and selfless qualities ...that Muslims hate about dogs."
I think you've hit upon something.
How do you think any Muslim who hears this story of dog-rescues-human is going to react?
"Hah! A filthy dog comes to the aid of an infidel dog! May Allah curse them both! Death to those who say Islam is violent!! Yeearrggh!!!"
ping
Me too.
I'm sure he'll end up in a good place. I don't know how long I would want him to stay at the shelter, a home would be much better. The other article mentions looking for a search and rescue team that might adopt him. Perhaps being in the news will help find his current owners if he has any. If he's lost locally this is a small enough town that most everyone will know about it. If not lost locally then we can only hope the story is widely told.
I'll bet there are going to be lots of calls for his adoption. My husband wants me to call. We'll keep an eye on the story. We live just a short distance north of Thomasville, it's where we have to go when we want to go in town for groceries or a movie.
Same here, and he'd be eating steak for at least a month!
I wish I could send Hero some of my homemade dog food. I have one dog with allergies and, hey, you can't feed the good stuff to just one ... so all three get the gourmet treatment. Made from things that I hunt -- deer, elk, turkey, goose, duck, quail -- actually costs less than buying dog food and they don't get all of the corn and chemicals.
Look for a breeder who is also active in some sort of performance sport with the dogs, not just conformation. Obedience, agility, probably not schuetzhund (too aggressive). Breeder should also be a member of the local and national breed club and go regularly to the specialties -- and compete in events other than conformation at the specialties.
I would go with a dog from German bloodlines. It's the Americans who have messed up the temperament (AND the hips - very bad hips in American Shepherds.)
You can pick up a lot on the breeders' websites. Also, get in touch with your local German Shepherd Club and pick the members' brains. Go to some club events and look at the adult dogs -- talk to the breeders and competitors. They will set you straight on who is breeding the best all around dogs.
Example: we had a young couple come to one of our club's Agility trials with their son, who has severe Cerebral Palsy. They were looking for recommendations for a good dog for their son, who could be a companion and possibly an assistance dog to some extent. Within minutes a circle of handlers gathered with examples of all the major breeds in sight. Of course I put the case for a Labrador Retriever! But the Goldens turned up in force, as well as Aussies and some of the (calmer) Border Collies, and many other breeds as well. The boy got to pat and hug all the different dogs, who seemed to understand that he was a little fragile -- he got lots of nudges and restrained doggie kisses, and he loved them all!
Stick with the European bloodlines (Austrian is just fine too - no nonsense about breeding for looks because in the German and Austrian associations ALL dogs have to pass performance tests to get a championship, not just conformation (beauty contest).)
I have a 5 month old Lab who is smart as a whip - maybe not as smart as a Shepherd, but then Shepherds won't go get you ducks in flooded timber . . .
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.