She happily adopted a pup rescued from kill shelter—four years later, he helped her save a human’s life
Dogs are known for their sharp instincts and loyalty to their humans. There have been many cases where these fur buddies have proved themselves as heroes by acting bravely in moments of crisis. A 4½-year-old dog from Watertown, Wisconsin, demonstrated his quick actions to save a life during winter. According to The Washington Post, the canine named Jagger was dropped at his owner Katey Higgins' parents' house when he rushed to the back of their house.
Little did Higgins know that Jagger was about to save a precious life. She dropped the details about Jagger and his heroic act on her Facebook post. "I finally have a moment to process what happened. With a busy day ahead, I dropped Jagger off at my parents’ house before 9:00 a.m. We let him out their back door, and within seconds, he was alerting us to something we couldn’t see from any window," Higgins wrote. Jagger had sensed a man who was nearly frozen to death and was lying in the far back corner of their yard.
"We don’t know who he is or why he walked across the frozen river and up to their yard. If Jagger hadn’t found him when he did, this story would have had a much different ending," 43-year-old Higgins continued in her post. "I’m so profoundly grateful for how today’s events unfolded. Jagger isn't frequently dropped off at his grandparents' house during the week, but because he was just at the right time, my rescue was able to help with his own rescue." While talking to the news outlet, Higgins gushed about her fur buddy, mentioning that Jagger had always enjoyed being outdoors and often barked at squirrels. "But this time, he gave a very unusual bark. I’d never heard him do it before," Higgins confirmed.
Higgins and her father, Peter Schubert, went out to check outside, but they did not see anything unusual in their backyard. But after a thorough inspection, the woman and her dad found a man lying in the snow between the bushes and the side of their house. "The man was wearing a jacket but didn’t have a hat on," Higgins said, adding that he was unresponsive. They dialed 911 and the medics arrived to take the man to a hospital where he was treated for frostbite. They also praised Jagger, who was a rescue dog, for saving the man. Higgins and her family had no idea how long the stranger had been there in the snow, guessing that he was trying to get himself warm near the vent of the house.
They also found footprints of the man that proved he had walked across the frozen Rock River. The police later found out that the man had his own residence. Assistant Chief of the Watertown Police Department, Benjamin Olsen, gave a statement to The Washington Post, revealing how drug use contributed to the man's condition and his presence in the Schubert family's backyard. The man was also charged with possessing drugs that were forwarded to the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office.
As for the clever pup, he was adopted by the Higgins family from the Watertown Humane Society. “The Humane Society had rescued him from a kill shelter in Texas and saved his life,” Higgins said. “So it’s heartwarming that Jagger has now helped to save a human’s life. We don’t have children, so he’s the light of our life. We’ve incorporated him into our lives and wonder now how we ever did without him.” According to TMJ4, Higgins started hearing from people who wanted to appreciate Jagger for his valiant deed. So, she suggested how it would be best if people donate to the Watertown Humane Society's Paws for a Cause campaign to expand and improve the local shelter.
This article originally appeared 3 months ago.