A German shepherd saved the lives of her human and herself when she jumped on his bed and alerted him to the fire in their home, allowing both of them to get outside to safety.
Joseph Rutlidge was asleep early Saturday morning when his Pennsylvania home began to fill with smoke. Fifteen-month-old Bella jumped on his bed and barked at him until he woke up.
Once awake, Rutlidge discovered they may have only had moments to live, and rushed out of the house with Bella in tow.
“I am just really thankful for her that she was there,” he said. “She knew ‘Oh, OK, Daddy is going to yell at me but I am not going to let him lay there.’ If it hadn’t been for this dog, I might not be here.”
Firefighters believe the blaze may have been started by a wood stove.