Category: Heroes

Meet Two 4-Legged Burn Survivors Who Became Inspirational Firehouse Dogs

In what seem to be ideal win-win situations, two dogs that survived severe burns have been adopted by fire departments in Florida. They not only serve as fire safety ambassadors and inspire burn victims, but they also help provide comfort to their stressed-out, two-legged coworkers.

Meet Clover and Ruby, who will hopefully motivate fire departments across the country to adopt four-legged burn survivors of their own.

Clover

Two years ago, when Clover was only five weeks old, a propane heater ignited a fire in the Alabama shed in which the Cur Hound mix was living with her mom and littermates. The other dogs made it out unharmed, but when a piece of wood fell on Clover, she suffered severe burns to her head, paws, chest and back.

Clover was taken in by the Suncoast Animal League, a Palm Harbor, Fla., nonprofit dedicated to caring for homeless pets and wildlife. The league posted photos of the resilient puppy as she recovered, and Clover’s fan base quickly grew. Among those following her amazing progress was the staff at Florida’s Madeira Beach Fire Department (MBFD), who, coincidentally, had been thinking about getting a firehouse dog.

Suncoast Animal League arranged a meet-and-greet. For the firefighters, it was love at first sight. When Clover was four months old, the department adopted her, and she was officially sworn in as Fire Station 25′s new firehouse dog.

Clover visits local schools as a fire safety ambassador and shows kids how to stop, drop and roll. She’s also proven to be an inspiration for two-legged survivors of fires and health issues.

“We ran into a young child who saw the scars and he goes, ‘Oh, I have scars, too.’ His scars were from cancer,” MDFD firefighter-paramedic John Sleppy told FOX 13. “She was just really, really loving with him. It was just cool to see them relate – two fighters.”

Having Clover around the station also lifts the firefighters’ spirits. The 12 who work there take turns walking, feeding and bathing her.

“In our line of work, we see things and do things that a lot of people don’t see in their entire lives, and sometimes that can affect you,” Sleppy told FOX 13. “It’s nice to come back to the station, where it’s more like a home now when your dog’s always got a smile and wants to lick you.”

You can follow Clover on her Facebook page.

Ruby

Ruby, who appears to be a Pit Bull mix, was only a few months old in 2018 when a fire broke out in the Georgia home where she lived with her owner and another dog. Running through the flames to escape, Ruby was the only survivor. She suffered third-degree burns and was in critical condition for over a week. Like Clover, Suncoast Animal League eventually took Ruby in.

In the meantime, Florida’s Palm Harbor Fire Rescue (PHFR) heard about Clover being adopted by the MBFD, and thought it would be a great idea to adopt their own furry burn survivor. Later that year, Ruby was sworn in as the official firehouse dog of PHFR Station 65.

Like Clover, Ruby serves as a fire safety ambassador, helping with public education outreach programs.

“She already knows how to stop, drop and roll and we’ve been teaching her to crawl low under smoke,” Elizabeth Graham, PHFR public information officer, told FOX 13 in 2018. “She’s a part of the family now and I can’t wait to see how many lives she will touch.”

As Clover has also done, Ruby attends camps with children who are burn survivors. To have her there “and show everybody that she is a survivor and that she can make it through, it’s amazing,” Graham told ABC News.

Ruby has proven to be a welcome addition around the fire station. “As a department, having a dog around, if you are having a low day or something, the dog is always going to be there, always be loving,” firefighter-paramedic Tyrell Platt told FOX 13. “The dog has no negative. So I definitely think it is going to be good for the department and people individually.”

This story was originally published on Care2.com.

Photo: Clover the firehouse dog – MBFD/Facebook

Pit Bull Rescued from Dogfighting Ring Becomes K-9 Officer

It’s very sad that the four-legged survivors of dogfighting operations used to be given an automatic death sentence. Fortunately, the Pit Bulls who survived one of the most notorious of these operations, Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels, proved that these dogs could be rehabilitated and placed into loving forever homes.

Many of these “Vicktory Dogs” went on to become therapy dogs and loving pets —  even though former Humane Society of the United States CEO Wayne Pacelle, as well as PETA, wanted these dogs to be euthanized.

Fast forward 13 years, and some of the 31 dogs rescued from a dogfighting ring in Canada are also proving that these survivors can become heroes. In January, a survivor named Hansel became New Jersey’s first Pit Bull arson officer.

This month, another Pit Bull rescued from that same ring has become a K-9 deputy for the Craven County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.

K-9 Nibbles graduated from the Police Canine School on April 12, earning a certificate in narcotics detection and basic obedience. He will work alongside his partner, Deputy Willis McCaw, to “fight against drugs being trafficked and sold in Craven County,” according to a Facebook post by the Craven County Sheriff’s Office.

“This dog comes to us at no cost to the [Craven County] taxpayer and is going to help us immensely in our fight in curtailing the illicit flow of drugs that have been coming into our county on a daily basis,” Sheriff Chip Hughes said at a press conference.

Like Hansel, Nibbles was rescued by the Throw Away Dogs Project, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that trains rescued dogs to become K9 officers and service dogs.

According to news reports, Nibbles, Hansel and at least two other dogs rescued from the Canada dogfighting operation are now serving in law enforcement. Others have become certified service dogs.

You can make a donation to help the Throw Away Dog Project rescue more dogs via its website.

Photo: Craven County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

Hero Pit Bull Takes 4 Bullets During Armed Robbery (He’s OK!)

Todd Lane was walking up to his home in Wilmington, N.C., Monday night with Skylar, his 12-year-old Pit Bull, when a man behind them said, “Gimme that.”

The stranger was referring to the money Lane had just won from a scratch-off lottery ticket. But before Lane could reach for his wallet, the robber started shooting.

Grazed by a bullet, Lane fell to the ground. Skylar immediately took action to protect his owner.

“He charged after the dude with the gun and that guy shot the dog four times,” Lane told WWAY. “They found four different shots in him.”

The robber fired at least eight shots before running off. Two shots were fired into Lane’s living room, where people were watching TV. Fortunately, no one inside the house was hurt.

And fortunately for Skylar, the hero dog survived the shooting. Two bullets grazed him. One went through his upper lip. But the other bullet shattered his front left paw, requiring reconstructive surgery so he can walk. Because Skylar has arthritis in his shoulder, amputation was not an option.

Lane’s niece, Tina King, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds to cover the expensive surgery. As of today, it’s raised nearly $4,000.

“Right now with the coronavirus a lot of people are short with money and it’s hard,” KIng told WWAY. “So it’s hard asking people for money, but a lot of people have given $5 and my sweet friend Courtney gave $500.”

Lane is grateful not only for Skylar but for the community’s generosity in helping to pay the hero dog’s veterinary bills. “It ain’t me that’s saved his life, it’s this community,” he told WWAY. “All the funds they have given me, all the support they have given me, and everything they’re doing for my dog has literally saved his life.”

Skylar was able to return home from the animal hospital yesterday. He’s recovering but will need another surgery.

The hero pit bull “saved me,” Lane told WWAY. “I mean, you always wonder, would your dog take a bullet for you? And I found the case out. He took four for me. He’s a great dog.”

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Wilmington Police Department at 910-452-6120.

You can make a donation to help pay for Skylar’s vet bills through the Justice for Skylar – Vet Bill Assistance GoFundMe page.

Photo: GoFundMe.com

3 Reasons Why Cloning a Hero Dog Was Not a Good Idea

Six years ago, David and Alicia Tschirhart, who was pregnant at the time, went on a mountain hike in Escondido, Calif., with their yellow Lab, Marley. When Alicia reached down to grab what she thought would make a good walking stick, Marley raced over to her and started barking.

Marley’s actions saved Alicia’s life. It wasn’t a stick that she was reaching for — it was a rattlesnake.

Sadly, not long after the birth of the Tschirharts’ daughter, Marley was diagnosed with cancer. Although the hero dog didn’t survive it, he lives on…sort of.

Last December, the Tschirharts welcomed a new yellow Lab puppy into their family. Ziggy isn’t just any yellow Lab. He’s Marley’s clone. The Tschirharts paid $50,000 to have another dog who looks and acts, they say, just like Marley.

Ziggy was created by the scientists at ViaGen Pets, the only company in the United States that clones dogs and cats. They did this by inserting a skin cell from Marley into the nuclei of eggs that were harvested from donor pets. To start the embryo’s dividing process, it was given a shock. The modified embryos were then implanted, via invasive surgery, into a surrogate dog who gave birth to Ziggy.

ViaGen Pets charges $50,000 to clone a dog or $35,000 to clone a cat.

Sure, we’ve all probably fantasized about cloning a beloved dog so we’d have a carbon copy of them around for many more years to come. But then we consider the cost and ethics, and for most of us, the idea remains just that: a fantasy.

Still, there’s currently a one-year waiting list at ViaGen Pets. Here’s hoping some of those people wanting to clone their pets become aware of these three reasons why it’s really not a good idea.

1. Adopt, don’t shop (or clone). There are thousands of homeless pets, including plenty of yellow Labs, available at shelters and rescues (find a Labrador rescue group here). You will literally save yourself tens of thousands of dollars while saving a life in the process.

2. The exorbitant cloning fees could help thousands of homeless dogs. Along with the $50,000 ViaGen charges to clone a dog, there’s a $1,600 fee for “genetic preservation,” the biopsy to remove cells from the original dog. Think of all the shelters and rescue groups that would benefit from a $51,600 donation instead.

3. Cloning pets is unethical. It’s opposed by major animal welfare organizations including the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). According to a 2019 Gallup poll, the majority (66 percent) of Americans believe it’s morally wrong. Considering that 1.5 million pets are euthanized in animal shelters every year, it makes much more sense to save their lives than to create clones that won’t necessarily share the original pet’s personality.

Instead of cloning Marley, I wish the Tschirharts had instead paid his heroic act forward by saving a life — of a doomed shelter dog.

Photo: CC0 (that’s not Ziggy or Marley)

Why Hero Military Dog Conan Probably Won’t Receive a Purple Heart

Ever since he helped take down ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi in October, hero dog Conan has received plenty of well-deserved accolades.

Conan is a Belgian Malinois who has served over 50 missions with the U.S. military’s Delta Force. He was injured during the Oct. 27 raid in Syria when he stepped on live electrical wires while chasing al-Bagdadi into a tunnel. Fortunately, the hero dog recovered from his wounds.

In a Photoshopped tweet three days after the raid, Donald Trump is seen putting ribbon with a paw-print medal around Conan’s neck.

AMERICAN HERO! pic.twitter.com/XCCa2sGfsZ

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2019

There was some confusion over whether Conan was male or female, but apparently he’s a male.

?UPDATE: Two defense officials have now contacted us to say Conan is *for sure they say* a BOY. One official said they triple checked.

I guess the important thing here is that Conan, boy or girl, is a good dog who did excellent work with the US military.

The end. https://t.co/bSQJifnMxx

— Elizabeth McLaughlin (@Elizabeth_McLau) November 26, 2019

Fun fact: Conan wasn’t named after Conan the Barbarian, but Conan O’Brien the Comedian.

That dog is clearly the better “Conan” — I wish her a speedy recovery! https://t.co/7BVIaybve6

— Conan O’Brien (@ConanOBrien) October 29, 2019

During Conan’s visit to the White House last week, Trump called him a “tough cookie” at a news conference. “The dog is incredible,” Trump said. “We spent some good time with it. So brilliant, so smart.” Trump presented Conan with a special medal designed by U.S. Special Operations — but not a Purple Heart.

Despite Conan’s heroism, it is unlikely that he will receive a Purple Heart, the U.S. military’s highest honor. This award is given to members of the military who “are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action,” according to the Military Order of the Purple Heart website.

Since World War II, the U.S. military has only awarded the Purple Heart to two-legged heroes.

“The use of military decorations is limited to human personnel who distinguish themselves in service to the nation,” Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said in 2010, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Many veterans think dogs should also be awarded this honor for their service.

“Do I believe Conan should receive a Purple Heart for actions on target?” former Army Ranger and Purple Heart recipient Michael Bollinger, a former Army Ranger, told the New York Post. “Absolutely. They’re out there with us every step of the way.”

For over a decade, Ron Aiello, founder of the United States War Dog Association, has been urging the Department of Defense to establish an official medal for military dogs who distinguish themselves in service to the U.S.

“They say they can’t do that,” he told the AKC. “We utilize these dogs and they are recognized as a large asset to our military. But we can’t honor them.”

The last military dog to officially be honored with a Purple Heart was Chips, the most decorated dog of World War II.

“For ‘singlehandedly’ wiping out a machine-gun nest in Italy, a dog named Chips was awarded the D.S.C., the Silver Star and the Purple Heart,” TIME reported in February 1944.

All the press Chips was getting caught the attention of the commander of the Order of the Purple Heart, according to Military.com. The commander complained to President Roosevelt and the War Department that giving the Purple Heart to a dog demeaned all the men who had received one.

Chips was allowed to keep his medals, but the Army’s adjutant general, Major General James A. Ulio, ruled that no other dogs would receive the Purple Heart, TIME reported.

The most decorated dog in U.S. military history was Purple Heart recipient “Sergeant” Stubby, who saved hundreds of lives during World War I by sniffing out mustard gas and barking to alert the troops when he heard artillery fire.

More recently, a Belgian Malinois named Cairo helped his fellow Navy SEALs take down Osama bin Laden in a 2011 raid. Cairo did not receive a Purple Heart for this heroic feat, and that’s a shame.

Photo: Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead

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