BRAVE DOG HONOURED

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1666, 24 September 1925, Page 3

BRAVE DOG HONOURED

FOR FEATS OF'HEROISM. Every year in England, the silver medal of the National Canine Defence League—the dog's VJC—is bestowed upon one or more hero dogs, the award in each case being given for saving a human life. "Spot," belonging to Mr W. Austin, of Torquay, was recently honoured in this way. His master was laid-up in bed with acute phlebitis of the leg, and by the doctor's orders the affected limb was swathed in cotton wool. This was accidentally set on fire.

The cries of the patient were heard by the dog, who dashed into the Toom and tore the flaming cotton-wool bandages of the leg, burning his face severely in the act. i

Another "dog's V.C." was awarded to a prize-winning Welsh racing whippet named "Lucky Prince." While walking on a lonely stretch of the seashore near Llanelly, his master, Mr Jack Morris, was engulfed by a quicksand.

Th!e dog was also trapped, but managed to scramble out, and ran for assistance, barking furiously. A rope was fetched, but it was death for any man to venture on the quicksand, which the rising tide was by now beginning to reach and still further moisten.

But where man could not venture, the light-footed whippet could, and did. Taking the line between his teeth, he ran with it to his master, who had meanwhile sunk to his waist. At the first pull, however, the rope broke, and another had to be fetched. This the dog also took to .his master, who by this time was engulfed up to his neck, and, to quote his own words, "had given up hope."

Luckily, he had the presence of mind, being sucked down slowly, to keep his hands above his head, and so was able to grasp the second Tope, which fortunately held, and he was safely dragged to firm land.