Bretagne
It's a widely known fact that many dogs work in rescue missions together with security forces such as the police or the army. This Golden Retriever named Bretagne may well be one of America's most famous pooches, and here's why.
Bretagne assisted the police during the rescue missions after Hurricane Katrina stroke New Orleans and when Hurricane Ivan struck the coast of Alabama. She helped rescue elders who were trapped inside their wrenched homes.
Sadie
In 2019, the 60-pound Pit Bull shown in the picture made her way out of the house in the middle of the night after smelling a gas leak. A police officer heard the dog barking deafeningly near the doorstep, and immediately realized something was not right.
Thanks to Sadie, the police broke into their home and rescued the family just in time before it was too late. They were hospitalized as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, but they quickly recovered.
Jazzy
Michael had alway been an animal lover, so one day he decided to adopt a cute little pup named Jazzy. However, little did he imagine that the furry pooch would literaly end up saving his life.
Michael suffered from diabetes, and one day he fell into a coma after his sugar levels rocketed. Jazzy realized something was wrong and warned Michael's mother by barking at her incessantly. Christine found his son lying on the floor and immediately called an ambulance.
Louie
A woman named Judith Shaw fainted after experiencing sharp pains in her chest, but thankfully, her dog was there to have her back. The brave pooch named Louie pressed the panic button and before she knew it, doctors were on their way.
Had it not been for Louie's noble gesture, Judith wouldn't have received the medical aid she urgently needed. A few weeks later, the brave pooch received an award in honor of her sacrifice.
Bosch
This dashing Golden Retriever went down in history as one of the greatest Philippine heroes ever. In 2019, a deadly earthquake hit The Philippines, and a Golden named Bosch joined one of the rescue missions.
Bosch successfully managed to rescue four people that had been buried beneath the rubble. He was also part of another rescue mission after a landslide struck one of the country's islands a few months later. Such was his dedication, that he was awarded a medal by the President himself.
Babu
In 2004, Indonesia was struck by a hazardous tsunami that took thousands of lives. But this blonde Shi-Tzu named Babu was willing to give up his life for the sake of her 83-year-old owner, Tami. You won't believe what happened.
Babu knew there was danger lurking, so even though he actually hated walking through the streets, she made her owner take him for a walk and climb a nearby hill. By the time they had reached the hilltop, the tsunami had washed away their home.
Tater Tot
Christi's son, Peyton, had always wanted a pet of his own, so one day, she agreed to foster a dog named Tater Tot for a few months. But one day, Tater Tot sacrificed his life for his new family, making Christi realize that the dog would stay with them forever.
One night, Christi woke up with the deafening sound of Tater Tot running back and forth from her room and Peyton's. She guessed something was wrong, and when she went to check out Peyton, she realized he could hardly breathe and had to be taken to the ER. Had it not been for the pooch, who knows what would've happened.
Khan
Back in 2007, a Doberman Pinscher named Khan miraculously saved this 1-year-old kid, just 7 weeks after being adopted. It all began when a Brown snake, one of the most poisonous snakes out there, approached the toddler.
Khan didn't doubt it for a second and pushed the snake away with his paw, just as the animal was about to gnaw at the helpless baby's ankle. He was bitten by the snake, but luckily, he was given an anti-venom shot just in time.
Apollo The German Shepherd
A German Shepherd named Apollo went down in history after becoming the first police dog to aid the police during the 9/11 rescue mission. Together with officer Peter Davis, he went into the rubble and helped rescue many survivors.
This hero dog stood against fire and burning metal in his search for survivors. As a journalist rightly claimed, "Whoever coined the phrase ‘working like a dog’ must have known Apollo". Coming next, another brave dog with the same name!
Apollo The Pit Bull
One summer afternoon, a girl named Maya Fairweather took his boyfriend's dog for a walk, this dashing 5-month-old black Pit Bull named Apollo. She let him off his leash as soon as they reached the park, when suddenly, this happened.
A man tried to assault Maya, and that's when Apollo came back running towards her and bit the man in the leg. Maya couldn't have been more thankful. "He’s a good boy. I think he saved my life", she said.
Figo
It's a widely known fact that many blind people resort to service dogs, who are trained to lead their owners through the house and even along the streets. But this service dog named Figo literally saved his owner's life.
He was leading his owner Audrey Stone back home, when all of a sudden, they were nearly run over by a bus. Figo didn't doubt it for a second and stood right in front of him and took most of the hit. Luckily, he was only left with an injured foot, so it all worked out for the best.
Dopey
Lot's of research has been carried out regarding dogs' ability to detect illnesses, and it all seems to indicate that some dogs indeed have this sort of superpower. Such is the case of Dopey, a Golden Retriever who can sense when his owner is about to have a seizure.
Each time Dopey's owner, Britton Voss, is seconds away from having a seizure, the pooch starts licking his face, and he's even learned to dial 911 with a specialized device. "This is not just a dog. Dopey’s an angel", Voss' teacher told the media.
Peanut
It was just another winter day when this little pooch named Peanut started barking at her owners running up and down the stairs, and didn't stop until they let her out. They guessed something was wrong, so they followed Peanut just to make sure she was OK.
However, Peanut wasn't the one who was in danger. The pooch led the couple to a narrow ditch, where a three-year-old girl was lost and nearly freezing. The couple immediately dialed 911 and the toddler reunited with her family.
Yolanda
It's safe to say that all service dogs are heroes, but there's something about Yolanda that makes her stand out. This Labrador saved her blind owner from a fire. It's one of those things that usually just happen in Hollywood movies, right?
Not only did Yolanda realize that the house was catching on fire, but she managed to call 911 using a specialized device, and moments later she managed to drag her owner out of the house. You don't see that every day!
Capone
Angela Fullmer lived in a large, wooden home in Iowa, together with her whopping 9 children and her dashing pooch named Capone. But it all nearly ended in tragedy when her house caught fire in the middle of the night.
The whole family was fast asleep, but Capone woke up the second he smelled smoke. He woke up Angela just in time for her to rescue her 9 kids, and it wasn't long before the whole house burst into flames.
Ted
Josie Conlon loved her dog, Ted, but the truth was that he rarely demonstrated affection. We could even say he had more of a cat-like personality. However, one day, Ted began to bark and paw at her chest. What was going on?
It seemed that Ted was sensing something was wrong, and when Josie went to a doctor's appointment, she realized she had an advanced tumor in her breast. She eventually recovered, and all thanks to her loyal friend.
Unnamed Hero Dog
Most of the stories on our list are about people being saved by their pets, but this time, that wasn't the case. A four-year-old boy was driving his bicycle, when a dog suddenly lunged at him and started gnawing at his shoe.
The young kid wasn't nearly as strong so as to defend himself, but luckily, a guardian angel came to his rescue. A stray dog - dubbed "Hero Dog" by the media - chased the dog away and saved the kid from further injuries.
Sako
One day, a teenager named Joseph Phillips-Garcia went on a fishing trip with his aunt and cousin, and the boy asked if he could take his dog, Sako, with them. His aunt finally caved in, and we're glad she did, because if not, they wouldn't have made it back!
On their way to the lake, the car lost control and fell down a steep hill, and Joseph and Sako were suddenly tossed from the vehicle. The boy couldn't move as he had fractured his femur, but the pooch helped keep him warm and even led him to a creek for some water.
Max
As adorable and innocent as she may seem, this fluffy pooch named Max was responsible for saving the lives of an entire family! Annette and her husband were fast asleep, when suddenly, some strange thumping sound woke them up.
Their dog was scratching their bedroom door, and thank god she did! Apparently, there had been a gas leak, meaning that the couple had been exposed to dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide during their sleep. Had it not been for Max, they wouldn't have lived to tell it.
Kelsey
It was just another ice-cold winter day in the Michigan countryside, when a man named Bob accidentally slipped in the snow and hurt his neck. There was no-one to be seen, but luckily enough, his loyal pet was by his side.
Bob's Golden Retriever, which goes by the name Kelsey, stood next to him for over 20 hours, and she barked and howled until someone finally showed up. > "By morning, my voice was gone and I couldn’t yell for help, but Kelsey didn’t stop barking", Bob said.
Katrina
One of the worst tragedies that have ever struck the United States in its whole history was Hurricane Katrina, one of the most destructive natural disasters that left behind several casualties. But for every sad story, there is one with a happy ending.
During the Katrina storm, one man was drowning in very high floodwaters, and that was when Katrina, a black labrador dog jumped to the water and saved him. But after Katrina saved the man, she needed help, and the Red Cross came to aid her. That same year, Katrina received a Genesis Award by the citizens of the city.
Xena
Xena was a shelter dog that was found starving to death, weighing only four pounds due to the abuse and disinterest of her previous owners. A few weeks after arriving at the shelter, she recovered her weight and was later adopted by a lovely family to serve as the company of an autistic child.
Johnnie Hickey is an 8-year-old kid that suffers from severe autism and was in desperate need of help, and help is exactly what this family found in Xena. She became her best friend and therapist dog, and together they came a long way. According to Johnnie’s mother, he is a totally different kid. He went from being a non-verbal kid to a never-stops-talking kid!
Shana
Shana is a German Shepherd mix that was saved by Norman and Eve Fertig after she was abandoned by her previous owners when she was only two weeks old. Little did the Fertigs know that they were going to be saved by Shana 7 years later.
In 2006, a snowstorm trapped Shana’s owners in upstate New York, after a tree fell on top of their car and buried them in snow. Shana made a hole in the snow, pulled her owners out of the car, and heated them until the fire department arrived at the scene.
Maya
Maya is a very small American pitbull that was also abandoned by her owners but was later adopted by Angela Marcelino, a single mother. In 2008, after Angela was coming from her birthday party, she was attacked and surprised by a male rapist.
Angela was starting to get desperate until she saw Maya’s fur behind the man’s back, and ordered the pooch to attack him. Maya, without a second to lose, jumped and bit the man, making him run away and leave her owner alone. Thanks to that feat, Maya was awarded the Honorable Dog of the Year Award in 2008.
Honey
Another dog that was awarded the Honorable Dog of the Year award was a lovely English Cocker Spaniel by the name of Honey. While on a car trip with Michael, her owner, they had a terrible car accident and ended flipped upside down. Knowing that Honey was his only hope, Michael released her leash.
As soon as Honey got out of the SUV, she ran approximately half a mile to the closest town and attracted the attention of another man. She took him to the accident site and together they saved Michael, who would have died if it wasn’t for Honey.
Napoleon
The story of Napoleon is different from the previous stories, as he did not save his owners, but instead, he saved the lives of six recently born kittens that were about to drown in a Michigan lake. Napoleon is an English bulldog, and like the rest of his species, he is a very bad swimmer.
But that did not stop him from jumping into the lake and swimming to the sack that was in the water. After he got out of the lake, his owner saw what was inside the sack and she was shocked. Napoleon saved six baby kittens and together they nursed them back to full health. Sadly, two of the kittens died.
Rocky
Rocky is a police dog from Lakewood, Colorado who saved his whole team after they caught a 20-year-old thief. When the police found the suspect, he started shooting at the whole squad and Rocky came running and tackled the burglar, keeping him to the ground with his paws.
Sadly, the thief continued shooting and one bullet lodged itself in Rocky’s front paw, but in the end, the burglar was arrested and put in jail. Rocky appeared in every news headling and continued serving in the police force for six more years.
Eve
Many humans are afraid of Rottweilers as they are considered to be the most vicious and violent dog breeds, but Eve showed the world that that is not entirely true. Her owner, Kathie, is a paralyzed paraplegic woman who requires the presence of Eve for her daily tasks.
One day, when Kathie was driving a personalized truck, she lost control of the vehicle and it struck a tree. When Kathie regained consciousness, the truck was filling with gases and smoke and as she could not move. Miraculously, Eve came and dragged her out of the truck. A few seconds later, the truck exploded.
Neo
On the contrary to Rottweilers, Siberian Huskies are considered to be one of the most lovely and loyal dog breeds out there. Neo was given to his owner, Marcie Snead, who suffers from diabetes, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. While on a trip one day, Marcie had a hypoglycemic shock and fell.
They were in the middle of nowhere, but as Neo was so worried about his owner that he ran to the nearest building a few miles away and called the attention of several people and led them back to where Marcie had fallen. When they found her, they called an ambulance and fortunately, she recovered!
Kankuntu
While relaxing on vacations in the family’s 41-foot yacht, Kankuntu became the hero of the story. One night the yacht was hijacked by a group of sea thieves that were armed with guns and threatened to kill the whole family if they did not give them the boat.
Luckily for the family, the dog came rushing from below deck and started attacking the thieves, until one of them shot the dog in-between the shoulder blades. Fortunately, the dog was not in any danger and he even saved his family, as the thieves had to run away.
Junior
Ever heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover?”. Well, Junior is the living example, as he saved his whole family from a deadly fire that was about to destroy the house. That same day, Junior’s owner, Madelous had invited six friends over, when an intense fire broke out in the middle of the night.
As neither Madelous or any of his six friends woke up, Junior took the matter into his small paws and started running and barking as loudly as possible to wake everybody up. Thankfully, every person in the house was able to leave and they called the fire department.
Miley
Arkansas born puppy, Miley, was the hero of this story, after saving her owner, Stacie Pitts, and the rest of her family from carbon monoxide. Deep into the night, when the family was profoundly asleep, Miley started barking and running all around the house in order to wake her owner.
Stacie woke up several times at night, calmed Miley down and went back to sleep. But every time she went back to bed, Miley started to bark again. At last, Stacie realized that something was wrong and woke up the rest of the family. Every one of them had severe headaches. After a visit to the hospital, they realized that Miley had saved them from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Toby
Golden Retrievers are one of the most faithful and playful dog breeds in the world, and if you want to be fully loved, you should have one. Debbie Parkhurst, Toby’s owner, was reading a book while eating an apple when something disastrous happened. A large piece of the fruit stored in her throat.
Unable to do anything, desperately trying to get air into her lungs, she was able to call Toby. Her two-year-old dog came running and with his paws performed a kind of Heimlich maneuver that saved his owner’s life as the apple got out of Debbie’s throat.
Angel
Canada is one of the safest countries in the world, but Austin Forman is not so sure about that. One afternoon when he was playing with his dog, Angel, in the backyard of his house, he was surprised by a large cougar that jumped over the fence.
In order to protect his kid, Angel put himself in front of Austin trying to buy some time for the kid to go inside the house. When Austin came out with his parents, the cougar had left and Angel had a few bites. But the love of his family nursed him back to full health in no time!
Zoey
This is one of the most incredible heroes in this list. This five-pound Chihuahua, Zoey, saved his small one-year-old human from being bitten by a poisonous rattlesnake in his grandparents’ house.
When Booker West was splashing his little hands in the birdbath in the backyard of his grandparents’ house in Colorado, a three-foot-long snake slithered next to him, although he did not even notice. When the snake jumped to attack the boy, Zoey jumped in front of him and sustained the bite.
Peety
This story is somewhat different from the rest of the list, as Peety, the dog, saved the life of his owner in a completely special way. Before meeting Peety, Eric O’Grey weighed approximately 320 pounds and was a diabetic and hypertense middle-aged man.
In one of his doctor’s appointment, Eric was advised to get a pet, and so he did. Eric adopted Peety, an obese middle-aged dog, and together they improved their quality of life. One year after adopting him, Eric had lost 140 pounds and Peety 25 pounds.
Flash
In the city of Brampton, Darlington in England, an elderly woman was reported missing by his family and the police started searching for her for fourteen hours. As they were unable to find her, a-10 month-old Patterdale terrier by the name of Flash joined the search team.
In less than one hour, Flash had found the old lady with his powerful sense of smell. The old woman had fallen inside a big bush and was unable to get out, and even though she was unharmed, she was distressed and confused. Police officers and community members thanked Flash for lending them a paw!
Layla
Budhi Blair is a North American veteran who, after returning from his tour in Vietnam, suffered from severe PTSD episodes and, as a consequence, he started assaulting police officers and even his wife. For his conduct, he was put in jail and served a few months.
When Budhi was in jail, he met Layla, an abandoned pit bull that had been in a car accident and was crippled. He felt reflected in Layla, as Budhi felt that she was left aside, abused and discarded. In jail, he started a dog training program to be able to spend time with Layla and recover together.
Nellie
Nellie is a four-year-old black dog that was adopted to help her owner, Gill, who is a 48-year-old hearing impaired single mom. Thanks to the heroic feat that she did, Nellie was awarded the Heroic Hearing Dog of the Year award.
One night on a family vacation, Gill, her two children, and Nellie were spending a quiet night in their vacation house when a man broke in. As Nellie helps Gill with everything sound-related, she woke her owner up and pointed to the man, while protecting the children. Finally, the man left them alone!
Nyla
We all know that dogs have incredibly more acute senses in comparison to us humans, and they know when danger is coming way before than we realize it. Nyla is another example of a dog that saved her human from a terrible fire that could have killed her.
When Sheila, her owner, was surrounded by fire and smoke and could not see anything around her, Nyla stood by her and guided her to the closest exit. Whenever Sheila lost sight of her dog, Nyla barked at her owner to put her on the right path. Sheila lost every material thing, but to her, nothing was more important than the fact that her little Nyla saved her.