A small dog is being credited with helping save her elderly neighbor after she heard his cries for help.
Eighty-nine-year-old Mickey McKinney stepped outside his home in Mindemoya, Ontario, on a chilly February afternoon to move his snow blower when he slipped and fell. Unable to get back up, he began to grow cold and increasingly worried. He had a helpline alert in his pocket — but in the moment of panic, he forgot all about it. Instead, he started yelling for help.
Next door, Rosa the dog heard him.
Rosa began barking at the front door, which immediately caught her owner Linda Gilchrist’s attention. No one was there — and Rosa doesn’t usually bark without reason. Sensing something was wrong, Linda put on her boots, grabbed Rosa’s leash, and stepped outside. That’s when she heard Mickey calling for help.
Linda and another neighbor tried to lift Mickey back onto his feet but weren’t able to, so they called an ambulance. Thankfully, help arrived quickly.
Mickey, who served as a police officer for more than 30 years, said it’s the first time he’s ever been “the victim.” He now calls Rosa a “lifesaver” and brought his canine protector cookies the very next day.
Linda says Rosa often watches people outside and greets familiar faces with a wagging tail, but this was different. Her actions surprised even her owner.
“I’m totally amazed and very proud of her,” Linda told CTV News.
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