Simon Spalding, from the United Kingdom, owes his life to his beloved dog Tipsy. Spalding and Tipsy almost perished in a house fire, and if it wasn’t for the pregnant dog’s heroic actions, her owner, soon-to-be-born puppies, and other building tenants, they would all have died in the fire.
On Oct. 16, 2013, Spaulding was sound asleep in his apartment. Around 2:40 a.m. his apartment complex caught fire, and the building’s smoke detectors malfunctioned.
Spaulding was unaware of the danger he and his pet were in. Yet, Tipsy jumped into action by barking and licking Spaulding’s face, until he woke up.
“When I woke up, I didn’t know what was going on,” Spalding told Basingstoke Gazette. “I could just see a light coming from the hall and it wasn’t until I opened the door that I realized the [apartment] was on fire.”
Spalding was unable to reach the front door because his hallway was blocked with most of his furniture. The pet owner had moved most of his belongings to the hallway, to make room for Tipsy in anticipation of her at home birth.
The only other way out of the blazing building was the back door. Spalding and Tipsy rushed out the back and yelled out, letting other building tenants know of the fire.
Once outside, Tipsy grew nervous and in an attempt to feel safe again she rushed inside the burning building. Spalding had to run in after her to rescue her.
Firefighters arrived soon after and the fire was put out.
Spalding lost most of his belongings, but he was thankful his and his best friend’s lives were unharmed in the fire.
“I have no doubt that Tipsy saved my life,” said Spalding. “If it hadn’t been for what she did, I probably wouldn’t have woken up. “I am incredibly grateful to her.”
Three days after the fire Tipsy gave birth to eight healthy puppies. Spalding will keep one of Tipsy’s babies.
Tipsy, her puppies and Spalding moved temporarily with friends, but the building’s owner made arrangements to accommodate all tenants in another nearby apartment building he owns.
