Dogs lap up praise for rescue mission

Published on Friday 6 November 2009 10:07

THEY are two dogs who really lived up to the title of man's – or in this case woman's – best friend.

Labradors Nell and Chloe mounted their own military-style rescue operation to help direct paramedics to their injured walker who was trapped in a sprawling country park.

Lorna Stirling, 36, from West Calder, was slipping out of consciousness having fallen over and broken her leg in four places – unable to tell emergency workers where she was after making a 999 call from her mobile.

Now able to walk again, she has spoken of how the dogs took turns to sweep the area where she lay in the Almondell Country Park looking for the medics, while the other remained loyally by her side to protect her.

Ms Stirling, a property valuer, said: "I was in excruciating agony as my tibia had snapped and was literally pressing up against the skin. I was screaming but nobody could hear.

"Fortunately I was able to get the phone out of my pocket and despite the fact that there is no signal, because it is such a thick wooded area, I was able to dial 999.

"They sent police and paramedics and kept me on the phone until the medics got close, but by that time I was going into shock and my blood pressure had dropped to a dangerously low level so I was slowly passing out and they couldn't find me.

"It was then that the dogs took it upon themselves to take over – one guarding me and the other circling around me. It was amazing, it was real animal instinct. I was the wounded member of the pack and they were looking after me.

"Nell is my own dog but I was looking after Chloe for someone, but she acted like one of the family."

Ms Stirling had been training in the park in June for a 10k race she was to take part in the next day.

But what seemed like a harmless stumble at the time, turned into an emergency situation.

The barking dogs guided crews to her, allowing paramedics to carry her on a stretcher for a mile back to the ambulance.

She said: "It was remarkable how they had their own kind of shift pattern. One would stay with me while the other would sweep round trying to find help. It was a horrible day, there was nobody around."

David Ryan, chairman of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, said it was a classic case of the dogs' behaviour.

He said: "One was staying with the owner to make her feel comfortable while the other deployed the tactic of going as far away as she was comfortable with, because she has that elastic emotional bond with the owner, and began trying to attract attention."