Shelter dog was meeting strangers at event — her sharp observation saved a man’s life
A shelter dog, Sienna, from the Friends of Campbell County Animal Shelter has become a sensation on the internet for being responsible for the timely rescue of a stranger. The former stray animal was at one of the shelter events, greeting the people who had arrived, per PEOPLE. All of a sudden, the canine noticed something unusual with her instincts and immediately acted. Her sharp observation and timely alert helped save the life of a man. Thanks to her vigilance and brave nature, people have a newfound love for shelter animals.
Sharing in a post on Facebook, the animal shelter noted that it was “extraordinary.” “Sienna, one of our sweetest shelter dogs, was calmly making her rounds — tail wagging, soaking up love from everyone she met,” the post read. All of a sudden, the dog moved away from the crowd of people and walked up to a stranger. It seemed like the canine was confused or curious, but she knew what was happening before anyone else had the slightest clue. “She sat quietly at his feet, refused to budge, and softly placed her paw on his leg. It wasn’t a trick. It wasn’t prompted. It was pure intuition,” the post read.
The sweet furry pal kept pawing at the man and it was only when his wife arrived that the people learned why, per WDBJ7. The woman made her way to her husband and urgently remarked, “My husband is either having a seizure or is about to have one!” Barbe Shackleford, Director of Friends of Campbell County Animal Control, mentioned that the man had a history of medical problems, “and one of the signs was that he was very still.” According to the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance, dogs can have the “intuitive ability” to sense a seizure. They can alert people about them by barking, rush to get help, provide comfort or, if trained, get a medical kit.
Due to Sienna’s intervention, the man was rushed to his car and received the aid he needed. “Sienna knew. Before any human saw the signs, she knew,” the post read. In a comment, the wife was identified as Kristen Davis. She thanked Sienna and wrote, “My husband is the one Sienna alerted. He had been having myoclonic seizures all morning (eye flutter kinds).” She added that they unfortunately couldn’t adopt Sienna as they already had 3 dogs to care for. However, the canine’s actions have revealed a new insight into the brilliant capacities animals carry.
“This is the kind of magic that shelter dogs carry inside them—unspoken wisdom, deep empathy, and an unfailing ability to connect with us in our most vulnerable moments,” the post revealed. The dog had no training to detect such a situation, but outdid herself to save the man’s life. “We’ve always known Sienna is special. But today, she reminded us that sometimes the ones we rescue are the ones who end up rescuing,” the caption read. Kitty Farris wrote, “Oh, how special is Sienna!” Amy Adams added, “Oh my goodness … what a good girl!” In an update, the shelter revealed that several people came forward to bear medical expenses and help Sienna out. In a post on June 14, the animal shelter was proud to share that Sienna finally got her new adopted family.