Three years ago, Bear was a 100-pound Shiloh German shepherd nobody wanted at a Texas shelter.
Well, nobody until Debbie Zeisler came along and adopted him.
Last May, Zeisler, who has suffered from occasional seizures since a horse riding accident 18 years ago, had a seizure, fell down some steps, hit her head and lost consciousness.
Bear, who has no formal training to recognize imminent seizures, typically leans on Zeisler's legs so she can sit down before they happen. In this case, Bear tried to get her to sit down, but she pushed past him and was almost immediately hit with a seizure.
With Zeisler out cold, Bear scratched on every front door in their Millsap neighborhood looking for help, but nobody answered.
A Parker County animal control officer saw the frantic dog and went to help. Bear led the officer to Zeisler who was found lying in the hot sun, disoriented and confused.
“This just goes to show how amazing shelter dogs can be,” said spcaLA President, Madeline Bernstein, "If Debbie had not adopted Bear, where would she and Bear be today? The bond between an animal and his human companion is powerful and life-saving."
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On Monday, he was honored with the 30th National Hero Dog award by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. For the honor, Bear receives a year supply of Natural Balance Pet Food and a commemorative plaque.
Good dog!
