A dog in Finnish Lapland helped save a neighbor's life by leading her owners to an icy wastewater pit.
Here's what to know
An unusual bark alerted Martta's owners, Pekka and Anu Nevalainen, to her insistence on going outside, according to Yle. The couple lives in Kittilä with Martta, their Lapp Reindeer dog.
Exhausted and unable to escape the frigid water in a wastewater pit, their neighbor needed help. The Nevalainens discovered him after Martta guided them onto his property.
They had tried to lift him out of the pit but failed. Instead, the couple kept the man afloat for about 30 minutes while they waited for rescue services.
Without the couple's support, the man likely wouldn't have survived the freezing water. That made the possibility of losing their grip the most frightening part of the rescue, Pekka told Yle.
What's being done?
Martta's owners have given her ice cream at home, but one organization is taking things a step further to honor her on Dec. 13. The Finnish Kennel Club will award her its Hero Dog title at the Helsinki Dog Fair.
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Seven other dogs will receive the same title alongside Martta. Each of the eight honorees is credited with likely saving at least one person's life. According to Yle, 14 dogs will also receive honorable mentions at the ceremony.
"We're certainly proud of our dog for doing something like this. A great dog, a really great dog," Pekka said.
Where can I learn more?
Dogs have helped save a lot of lives.
• In South Korea, a rescue dog found a missing woman after four days on a mountain.
• A service dog in Kansas found a missing 3-year-old and stayed by the child's side.
• A Los Angeles K-9 found three earthquake survivors and became a Hero Dog Awards semifinalist.
• Former mill dog Lola kept nudging a grandfather before an emergency room visit revealed kidney failure.
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