People often say that we don’t deserve animals. Whether that’s true or not, there’s no doubt our furry companions are some of the most faithful friends we’ll ever find. Animals have been known to protect people they’ve only known for hours, much less several years. Once they decide that a person is part of their family, they’re willing to do pretty much anything to keep them safe.
But another amazing thing about animals is their ability to sense when something is wrong, often long before doctors do. We’re not exactly sure what makes dogs and cats able to sense when there’s a serious medical problem like cancer or low blood sugar. It’s possible they can smell a change in hormone levels or other bodily systems. And even though they can’t speak, they often do their very best to communicate with their owners to let them know they need help.
So maybe, we don’t deserve animals, but whether we do or not, they still give us love unconditionally. And that often means putting their owners’ safety above their own. In return, we should love our pets and give them everything they need. If you have a pet, give them an extra hug today.
1. The dog that led a rescue team to a toddler
The Siberian taiga is a brutal and unforgiving place of negative temperatures and wild animals. But in 2014, a 3-year-old named Karina managed to survive 12 days alone there, all because of her loyal dog. The dog spent more than a week by her side, then returned home to alert a rescue team.
2. The cat that alerted neighbors to an emergency
He may have had a goofy name, but Slinky Malinki, a cat in London, is a real hero. In 2014, his owner had a terrible reaction to medication and collapsed, clinging to life for several days in her home. Slinky spent days trying to get out of the house and finally managed to alert a neighbor by tapping on their window.
3. The Chihuahua who took on a rattlesnake
A five-pound Chihuahua named Zoey was in a yard in Colorado with her owners’ one-year-old grandson. The baby was suddenly cornered by an aggressive rattlesnake that was ready to strike. Zoey threw herself in the way and took the bites instead — but luckily survived.
4. The cat that saved her boy from a dog attack
Tara went viral in 2014 after a heroic rescue of her boy was captured on CCTV. When her owner’s young son was attacked by a dog on his trike, Tara leaped into action, driving the dog off. June 3 is now known as Tara the Cat Day.
5. The blind dog that rescued a girl from drowning
Norman, a blind Labrador retriever, loved running on the beach with his owner. But one day, he heard a little girl screaming for help from the water. Even though he couldn’t see, Norman immediately leaped into the waves and guided her back to shore.
6. The cat that saved a family from dying in their sleep
A Wisconsin couple woke in the wee hours to the sound of pounding on the door only to find their cat Gracie was frantically trying to get into their room. They then realized they felt sick, dizzy, and could barely breathe. Authorities found deadly levels of carbon monoxide leaking through their home.
7. The dog that howled for help
A Michigan man named Bob slipped in the thick winter snow, breaking his neck. Although he yelled for help, no one heard. Eventually, he lost his voice from screaming. His dog Kelsey stayed with him for 20 hours and howled until help came.
8. The cockatiel that sounded a fire alarm
Dylan the cockatiel was home with his owner Andrew, who had worked three consecutive shifts at his job. Exhausted, Andrew drifted off to sleep when Dylan began squawking and screaming. He awoke to find a fire had erupted beneath his house but was able to get out safely thanks to the bird.
9. The dog that saved a baby from a fire
When the home of the Breiding family went up in flames, they quickly evacuated. But then James Breiding realized his infant daughter had been left in the house. Just then, the family dog rushed out of the flames, carrying her by her diaper.
10. The cat who was instantly loyal
Pudding the cat had been adopted by his Wisconsin owner only hours before, but that didn’t stop him from acting when he found her passed out during a diabetic seizure. Pudding managed to wake her so she could yell for help.
11. The dog that took on two sharks
In 2014, Captain Franz Van Derpoll was enjoying some time spearfishing off the coast of Australia. His dog Sky accompanied him. Suddenly, they realized they were being circled by two enormous sharks. Sky immediately leaped into the water, sacrificing her life for Van Derpoll’s.
12. The cat that saved an abandoned newborn
In the winter of 2014, residents of a Russian town were stunned to hear a newborn crying in an alleyway. They discovered a baby boy abandoned in a box in the freezing temperatures. He was saved by a local stray named Masha, who snuggled on top of him to keep him warm.
13. The dog that stopped a suicide
A 13-year-old girl in China was planning on ending her life by jumping from the roof of her family’s building. But her dog Roman wasn’t having it. He tugged on her shirt repeatedly to get her away from the edge of the roof and eventually pulled her away to safety.
14. The parrot that saved her owner from an attacker
Most parrots don’t get to play in the park with their owners but Wunsy the parrot did. As the bird and its owner were spending time outdoors together in London, the owner was attacked by an assailant. Immediately, the parrot flew into his face, screaming and scratching, until he ran.
15. The dog that saved a little girl
A 10-year-old girl in Brazil was home alone when a man asked to come in, saying he wanted to get a drink of water. He then struck her on the head and might have killed her if the family dog, Kiara, hadn’t attacked him, saving the girl’s life.
16. The dog that saved a freezing toddler
A Michigan family was confused when their dog Peanut began to go berserk, clawing at the door. When they let her out, she led them straight to a ditch behind their house where a 3-year-old girl was naked and nearly frozen.
17. The dog that saved his deaf owner
Ace the dog was home with his owner, 13-year-old Nick Lamb, who is legally deaf. Nick laid down to take a nap, removing part of his cochlear implant, which meant he couldn’t hear the fire alarm. Ace licked him energetically until he woke up.
18. The cat that diagnosed breast cancer
When a woman named Wendy Humphreys noticed her cat, Fidge, leaping repeatedly onto her right breast, she first thought it was funny. But when it kept happening, Humphreys went to see her doctor who found a small tumor. Catching cancer in its early stages saved Humphreys’ life.
19. The dog that knew the Heimlich
Toby the golden retriever was home when his owner began to choke on an apple. Toby immediately jumped on her chest, knocking it loose. The ASPCA gave him an award for his heroism.
20. The dog that shielded his owner from a bus
A guide dog named Figo was helping his blind owner across the street when a bus drove toward them, unable to see them. Figo leaped in front of it to keep it from hitting his owner. His leg was badly injured, but he still refused to leave her.
21. The pig that ran for help
When a Pennsylvania woman suffered a heart attack, her pet pot-bellied pig LuLu wasn’t letting her down. LuLu broke out of the house and ran to a nearby road, where she spent 45 minutes trying to stop cars and returning periodically to check on her owner. Finally, she managed to stop a driver and lead them back to the house.
22. The cat that bites his owners’ toes
A man named Glen Schallman has a rare combination of seizure disorders that could kill him at any time, but he’s lived longer than anyone else with the conditions. Why? Because his cat Blake has learned to wake him when he has a seizure by biting his feet.
23. The dolphins that rescued a drowning fisherman
Maybe a school of dolphins doesn’t qualify for the “pet” category, but the story is worth telling all the same! A man was fishing in Puerto Princesa Bay when a sudden storm overturned his boat. He spent the next 24 hours drifting and was beginning to lose consciousness when dolphins suddenly appeared and guided him to shore.
A Louisiana mom of three woke when her cat, Bagheera, clawed at her, alerting to the fact the home was on fire. The woman broke a window and managed to get two of her daughters out. However, her third daughter died and Bagheera was never found, perhaps unwilling to leave the girl’s side.
25. The cat that stopped a suicide
In San Francisco, police spent three hours trying to coax a suicidal man down off a ledge. Finally, they resorted to showing him his cat. Moved by the sight of his beloved pet, the man climbed down and was brought back to safety.
26. The dog who called 911
Belle the beagle is a therapy dog who knows what she’s doing. When her diabetic owner collapsed from a seizure, Belle bit the numbers on the phone to call emergency services. She also licks his nose to read his blood sugar levels.
27. The cat who saved a family from fire
A woman in France loved her cat Meatball, but she never expected the animal would save her life. They noticed her scratching frantically at the floor of the attic where a fire had broken out. Her actions saved the lives of 11 people.
28. The dog that saved his boy from a cougar
Angel, an 18-month-old golden retriever, was playing in the yard with his 11-year-old owner when the boy was suddenly rushed by a cougar. The dog threw himself at the wild animal and fought it off until police arrived.
29. The pig that scared off home invaders
When two burglars tried to break into an England home, they never expected to be greeted by a 240-pound pig named Ludwig. However, Ludwig rushed at them, snorting loudly, and they turned and ran without touching a single item in the house.
30. The dog who saved his owner from terrorists
A yellow Labrador retriever named Salty was with his blind owner, Omar Rivera, on the 71st floor of a New York building on September 11, 2001. Rivera was forced to escape into the chaos without being able to see — but Salty refused to leave him until he was safely on the ground.
31. The elephant seal that saved her caretaker
An elephant seal named Gimpy was a loyal companion to her caretaker at the Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur. One day, her caretaker slipped on the deck and was immediately attacked by three aggressive seals. Gimpy immediately threw herself in front of him, saving him from being mauled.
32. The dog that saved her owner from a tsunami
A Shih Tzu named Babu was not a fan of walks. So, her 83-year-old owner was confused one day when Babu insisted on going out. As the dog spurred her further and further from home, she looked back and saw a tsunami crashing over her neighborhood.
33. The watusi that spotted a venomous snake
When Lurch the watusi calf started to block his owner’s path, they didn’t understand. But Lurch was determined to keep them away from one part of the pasture. Suddenly, a copperhead leaped out, striking one of the owner’s dogs. Lurch promptly killed the venomous snake.
34. The dog who took a bullet for his owners
Kilo the pit bull is more than just a loyal companion — he’s also a walking miracle. When his owners’ home was invaded, the 12-year-old dog took a running leap at the burglar and was shot in the head. Amazingly, he survived and was going for walks again just mere days later.
35. The cat that sensed diabetic seizures
Merrick was adopted at only eight weeks old, but his owner never imagined he would rescue her, too. When she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Merrick learned to sense when her blood sugar was dropping low, saving her from diabetic seizures not once, but twice.
36. The dog that rescued terror victims
Bretagne was two years old in 2001 when the Twin Towers fell. She and her handler spent days at Ground Zero recovering the victims, both alive and dead. Bretagne finally passed away at the age of 17.
37. The cat that attacked an intruder
A midnight intruder is one of the scariest things most people can experience. But one intruder met an unlikely hero when he tried to break into an Indianapolis woman’s home. Her cat Binky launched himself at the burglar, scratching and biting until he fled.
38. The dog that saved his foster owner’s son
A dog named TatorTot was living with a family as a foster pet. While adorable, they weren’t planning on keeping him. That is until his foster mom found him racing frantically back and forth in front of the bedroom door of her young son, Peyton. Come to find out, Peyton’s blood sugar had dropped so low that he was unresponsive and hardly breathing. Thanks to TatorTot, the boy survived.
39. The one-eyed cat that stopped a burglar
When an Australia man was woken by his one-eyed cat Manny before 6 a.m., he was surprised at the change of schedule. He went into his dining room to find an intruder going through his possessions and was able to call the police.
40. The dog who brought the police to a blaze
Buddy was a German Shepherd living in Alaska with his owner. His owner’s workshop went up in flames, prompting the quick-acting canine to rush off for help. He met a state trooper and brought him back to the scene.
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People often say that we don’t deserve animals. Whether that’s true or not, there’s no doubt our furry companions are some of the most faithful friends we’ll ever find. Animals have been known to protect people they’ve only known for hours, much less several years. Once they decide that a person is part of their family, they’re willing to do pretty much anything to keep them safe.
But another amazing thing about animals is their ability to sense when something is wrong, often long before doctors do. We’re not exactly sure what makes dogs and cats able to sense when there’s a serious medical problem like cancer or low blood sugar. It’s possible they can smell a change in hormone levels or other bodily systems. And even though they can’t speak, they often do their very best to communicate with their owners to let them know they need help.
So maybe, we don’t deserve animals, but whether we do or not, they still give us love unconditionally. And that often means putting their owners’ safety above their own. In return, we should love our pets and give them everything they need. If you have a pet, give them an extra hug today.
