Roxy, a 3-year-old Miniature Australian Shepherd dog who is not trained as a hypo alert dog, saved the life of Mallory O’Connor from Salina, Kan., when the pet alerted the family about O’Connor’s diabetic episode.
On August 23, 2013, Roxy and her owner were over for a visit when suddenly the pet started acting frantically.
“My mom’s dog, Roxy, was just antsy all night long,” Loni Troxell told Eye Witness 12 News.
According to Troxell, the dog spent much of that night behaving unusually. The pet tried to grab Troxell’s attention and lead her to O’Connor’s room in the basement, but Troxell did not understand what the dog was trying to tell her.
“[Roxy would] jump up on my lap and look at me and then jump down and then run downstairs and run back upstairs,” said Troxell.
When O’Connor started seizing, her sister Bailey, was in the bed with O’Connor and felt the bed shake. Immediately the sibling ran upstairs to alert Troxell and that’s when the family realized O’Connor was in trouble.
Paramedics were called and the seizing girl was taken to a hospital. O’Connor spent a few days at the hospital, but since then has made a full recovery and is back home.
Family members are calling Roxy a hero. They now understand the dog’s frantic behavior was simply because the pet was trying to alert them of what was about to happen.
“I wished I would’ve looked or listened to [Roxy] better,” said Troxell. “Yeah, going to pay more attention now, for sure. My mom was staying with us for a little while, and I told her the other day, if you move out that’s fine. But the dog’s got to stay.”
